Meltdown kiss
by hibiki red
Summary: Ryoga Hibiki has spent the last three years of his life away from Nerima, and the gang. He has finally developed a close knitted relationship With Akari Unryo and nothing could destroy what they had that is until a mysterious, yet very familiar voice began to fill his mind with all manner of undesirable memories about Ranma's Ranko, and himself as a regular couple.
1. Chapter 1

All characters who are shown in this story belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and their corresponding owners. My involvement is exclusively from a tale-telling perspective.

As usual "_This writing means thinking_" 'while this means regular speech"

**Meltdown kiss**

It all begun almost three years ago when life remained simple and the troubles he experienced were nothing but a way to coexist with nature, or so he suspected.

Ryoga Hibiki, a young man who defied the rules of logic with his amazing strength and immovable resolve began to see the depths of depression once his most formidable rival seeped inside the only weak spot the boy was never able to reinforce...His mind.

"Common! keep it together." Mumbled Ryoga the closer his instincts revealed him Nerima was just a few miles away.

"I can do this."

For the boy on his late teens, this was an impossibility in on itself. How on earth would the eternally lost boy could find his way into that town precisely? Who knew.

He had the answer though, one he grew to hate up to this moment mostly because it kept his insanity on edge ever since "that" voice wrangled his mind into mush.

"_Dear Ryoga...Honey. You're going the wrong way. Listen to me, please_! "

The sweet and enticing tone belonged to no other than Ranma Saotome in his cursed form whom he had dueled many times before, but the manner in which "she" spoke and the distress clearly present in her speech wrecked the poor boy's head tiredly.

At some point his steps became erratic, his breathing labored and before he knew a tiny rock along the path send Ryoga flying against the ground.

Tears started to stream down his face once more. He remembered the last moments the older teen spent with his now separated girlfriend all thanks to that annoying voice driving him into madness.

The moment was the most surrealistic in his existence. The two of them sitting one besides the other, enjoying a nice afternoon outside the pig ranch Akari's family owned.

It had to be the precious reward Ryoga Hibiki deserved after so much disgrace in his life but despite the romantic scene unfolding before his eyes, a lingering feeling began to creep in the back of his head.

The setting was perfect. The sun slowly drowning into the hills far in the distance. A young couple enjoying the company of each other while grandpa arranged the pigs back into their pens.

Suddenly the girl shyly closed the gap between the two which made Ryoga a bit nervous at first. Still, he pushed back into position ready to meet the girl of his dreams once and for all.

That became the moment of truth until that certain tone of voice screamed relentlessly in his mind. "_Please help me. Ryoga, I need your help honey_."

The sudden plead made him turn around from side to side, confused of what or who had screamed into his ear and almost missing the girl who, at this point had her eyes closed and her lips puckered together ready for the inevitable.

Ryoga bit his lower lip angrily with the hope to ignore the cry of help coming from nowhere, and instead moved forward to meet those desirable lips he had craved for so long.

"_Honey, this is it. I need you more than ever_!" Came the tone with more persistence this time. Then, what happened next became the prelude to the insanity Ryoga Hibiki could never escape from.

Images started to fill his mind as the two young couple sealed their relationship with a kiss. The girl felt a trembling boy pressing with care and passion, giving her a reassuring feeling everything would be well in her life.

The boy, on the other hand, felt a storm of emotions completely foreign from what he was doing now. Images irradiated in his head like a painful headache showing not other than a redheaded girl almost naked except for a flimsy piece of cloth designed solely to cover the most coveted parts of a woman.

Her smile could only be shadowed by those tremendous blue eyes staring intently at the boy. Ryoga froze in what it felt like ages, his muscles unable to respond while his mind could barely register the situation circling back in reality.

Then, all of a sudden, his lips barely felt the touch the redhead imposed with her own giving him, in turn, a blush and a fit of uncontrolled rage when he realized who had almost kissed him.

The exact moment when the image locked Ranma and Ryoga into a kiss became the exact time when Akari remained glued to Ryoga's lips in real life, resulting into a meltdown of insanity destroying all concept of reality, and imagination altogether.

His mind went blank in that second during that experience, unable to judge what reality was he in. Once he returned back at Akari's kiss though, His thoughts were so warped from both scenes that a mix between the two formed a single path to follow.

At the peak of his sanity, an explosion of emotions made Ryoga exclaim in intense desire the few words condemning him to hell. He had no strength left to fight it so he decided to go on almost mindlessly.

When the green haired girl parted lips from her boyfriend her cheerful mood and happy demeanor transformed into a disconcerting look, and a frowning stare back at the boy after his mouth said something she couldn't believe.

"Ranma. I love you."

The phrase startled both at the same time, almost in a unison motion. The girl shakily drove her trembling hands towards her lips, uncertain of what had just transpired.

Ryoga, on the other hand, snapped into reality a second later. His blood rushing into his head at tremendous speed as he watched his dear Akari filled with doubt, not to mention hearing in his own mind the words he had just said to his girlfriend.

"Akari...I" But nothing else could be said. The two stayed there for what it seemed timeless hours, thinking of a way to resolve this dilemma but unable to do so right away.

The girl knew about the shenanigans Ranma had done to the poor boy in the past, things that another boy could misconstrue as cruel, and humiliating. Despite this Akari's resolve never diminished mostly because she saw Ryoga as the perfect candidate in her life, pig curse included.

She remained in her seat thinking of a way to dismiss his blunder as a side effect from past traumas, but what beat her to the punch was the lost boy whose tears began to flow in desperation.

"Ryoga, wait!" Said the girl when her hand reached and grabbed the boy's wrist before he could flee. "We can talk about this, please stay"

The young man saw refuge in her pleading eyes. He intended to stay and fix what he had done until the noise began to flare in his head once again.

"_Ryoga, dear. I don't have much time left, I need you now_!"

Ryoga pulled both hands against the sides from his head. He kept pressing relentlessly with the hope to crush such nonsense embedded in his skull, and as he did, his eyes grew even more when he saw Akari fly a few feet away from him, thanks to his raving madness and the irresponsible way in which he used his strength to pry himself free.

"Akari. Sorry!, I didn't mean to."

He tried to go and help her up, but that damn voice torture him to no end, forcing his insides from moving at all.

His eyes squinted in pain while his tears left him blind. Ryoga stumbled upon bushes and the ground itself hoping to reach back at Akari, but images of Ranma in girl form hugging and teasing him forced the confused teen to forget everything and run away from his happiness.

That all happened nearly a week ago and since then the plight for help in his head grew enormously out of proportion. Time seemed like a relative annoyance to the boy who, at his almost eighteen years of age believed happiness had been snatched from his grasp.

"This is all his fault" Mustered in anger the wounded boy. "Ranma Saotome, this time prepare to die"

Afterwards Ryoga cleaned his tears away, instinctively focusing on one goal at the time while suppressing the voice begging for his help.


	2. Chapter 2

I'm sorry for the mistakes on the first chapter. It seems I still keep using "as", "which", "until" and others way too much with the goal to try and link sentences together. I guess that's what someone who never learned English at school would do. I'll try to do better.

**Chapter 2**

The day seemed just as exciting as any other for a couple well known for their bickering in public areas. These two managed to raise the eyebrows from old and young across the years after ferocious fights ensued almost on a daily base, fact that never ceased to amaze some while horrifying others..

Ranma Saotome and Akane Tendo raced one after the other during their usual chase away, either from a giant mallet readily available to impart justice, or trying to squash a cheater whose fault he hardly had on the matter.

"Ranma you idiot!, stay where you are right now!" Yelled the girl who tried to avoid a major incident between her family, and the people around who already pegged them as a dysfunctional bunch riddled with too many issues.

"No way. I ain't falling for that again, Akane." Said the boy who were able to avoid a crushing blow against the pavement. The reason for their altercations were none other than the usual intervention of a purpled haired girl intensely obstinate in destroying whatever union their fathers boasted ever since they tried to officially marry three years ago.

"I keep telling ya!, It wasn't my fault Shampoo decided to show herself half naked through the bathroom's window. Again!" Admitted the teen who could barely avoid damage.

Neither the innocent response nor the giggling girl riding her bike right behind the two while donning nothing else but a towel made things any better for the seething Tendo who at this point entertained the idea of calling it quits, and leave the idiot alone with his "other" fiancées.

In fact, hearing the maddening screams from the pigtailed boy explaining aloud what had happened this morning made Akane blush apologetically towards the neighbors staring back at them.

"Ugh!" growled intensely the girl. She knew things like these were mostly Shampoo's idea, but she always believed Ranma had the power to stop such behavior if he talked to the Chinese waitress about some ground rules to follow.

In all, things seemed like the regular mishaps these town folks grew accustomed to outlive. The other situation that was about to ensue though became a staple well known around the locals, only this time the outcome was going to be completely different from before.

"Ranma Saotome. .. .Prepare to die!" Came the scream out of nowhere. A familiar phrase that didn't phase the most alarming, or fearful of them all. Not even the cop swinging his stick around would heed attention to the super powerful teens who were able to destroy walls, bent the environment out of shape and move aerodynamically impossible. After all, the city's council had already come up with measures available for this kind of things.

"Great, ta make things more interesting I get ta deal with Ryoga as well." Muttered Ranma as he saw an angry bandanna boy rushing at him.

"Hey, pig breath. Haven't seen you in a while. What's shaking?" Asked the teen amused. It had been a year since Ranma and Ryoga attended their personal squabbles over rivalry, and duels. Akari Unryu was now in the picture and the eternally lost boy had been put in a trance away from the city, and them.

Despite the light demeanor in which Ranma handled the situation things began to unfurl in a totally different way when a fist managed to crush the pavement right below his feet regardless of the people he could hurt in the process.

Ranma, barely able to avoid the attack waited on top of a nearby roof, watching in horror as the pieces of concrete, and dirt flew all over the place. His gaze followed not only at Shampoo who was able to expertly deflect the debris but at Akane who had no time to even jump back from the incoming trash.

"Akane!" claimed the pigtailed boy, rushing at her side but stopping in mid air when the enraged lost boy conveniently grabbed the rocks aiming at her direction, tossing them aside without any effort.

In that moment the raven haired girl saw something she had never seen before. Right before her eyes Ryoga remained quietly staring away from her as if he looked right through the girl. Akane tried to reach and touch him, but that's when the teen reacted to her presence.

"Akane-san. Don't get involved." Dryly said Ryoga.

His rasped and tired voice told the girl something terrible happened to her best friend and confidant. She defied luck itself as her hand almost touched the boy's cheek only to be repelled when Ryoga twisted around and marched towards Ranma without any concern for her.

"Damn it. Don't get in my way." Bit the boy angrily at the unsuspecting Tendo girl, rushing over as his deepest depressive aura began to flare wildly.

"Ranma. This is all your fault. Prepare to die!" challenged Ryoga at his opponent once again, this time seriously meaning every word.

"Ryoga. What got into you man?" Said the pigtailed worried now that he saw true anger in his features. Something he had never seen before from their usual fights.

The question didn't phased the fanged teen who at this point remained focused on his target. Neither Shampoo or Ukyo, who at this moment appeared out of nowhere stayed on his radar much longer. Only Ranma remained in his enraged sight like a bull to the color red.

"I have no idea how are you doing this, but stop it right now!" Demanded Ryoga as his hands drove maddeningly towards the sides of his head, stopping for a mere second before engaging his opponent once again.

Ranma tried to discern the meaning behind the lost boy's rant, but what caught him off guard were the looks on Ryoga's features. His eyes started to blur thanks to the tears suddenly swelling on his face. He felt an extremely painful demeanor coming from his rival, and the vibe coming from his attacks felt desperate and sorrowful not the mess of punches he would aimlessly direct at him.

Ranma had no time to think what was going on through him though after the few avoidable hits the fanged boy threw suddenly vanished, leaving in their place a more intense intent to kill on every attempt to connect.

"Damn it Ryoga. What's going on man!?" Asked Ranma this time under the pressure from the assault. No answer came from the attacker who seemed eager to end what he had started as soon as possible.

Ukyo managed to throw her own spatula with the hope to stop Ryoga's relentless onslaught, but the maddening teen carelessly snapped the back of his hand towards the projectile, sending it flying over the houses around them.

"Pigboy stop now!" Demanded the Chinese girl as well, deciding to take her own luck on the unstoppable juggernaut and jumping into the fray despite the lack of clothes on the girl. Once she threw the bicycle over to the boy with her unusual fighter's strength it would look like Ranma had a powerful ally on his corner. Too bad the two-wheeler ended up where the spatula had gone before.

"Aiya!. Shampoo third 'cycle this month." Complained the girl this time, moving back from the boy who didn't care what remained in his path.

"Stay out of this! My beef is with that bastard only. Anyone else tries to intervene, and I'll just.. ." Nothing more he was able to say when Akane herself walked right between the two fighters. For a second he tried to stop and attend to the girl, specially after all the times they had spent together as close friends, but images in his head started to replace those feelings of friendship with the urgency to kill Ranma.

"Move." Declared Ryoga dryly.

"I don't know what's going on Ryoga but we can help you, just let me." Pleaded sweetly Akane right before she was interrupted by the demented teen.

Surprisingly enough Ranma, Ukyo and Shampoo saw with growing eyes as the lost boy softly, yet consistently shoved the girl aside. They knew that sudden reaction would never be used by the boy who had a crush on her for so long, giving them a more serious take on the situation.

"This isn't about you, so move." Said the teen almost unconsciously. The regular Ryoga Hibiki would have never done something like this, but his mind riddled with the crying, and the begging from that voice had his sanity buried deep at this point, locking his actions on the only responsible for it.

Ranma realized this was something in need to be solved hastily which prompted him to jump and catch the girl before she could hit a wall, or let the broken street beneath their feet prove a hazardous fall for the girl. "What the hell man. Are you insane?"

Ryoga simply stopped and waited impatiently until the pigtailed teen deposited Akane safely aside, then he moved away from the other girls and opted to get into a defensive stance a few feet away from the bunch.

"Get ready Ranma because you die today" Said the teen in a more serious manner.

Ranma found no other way to deal with the problem, but get serious this time around. He saw his rival, and friend stumble from one side to the other while his left hand reached his head in pain and his lips mutely spoke inaudible words only to himself. Something was bothering the lost boy, that was for sure although he had no time to try anything when blows began to fly his way out of nowhere.

"_Damn it. Something keep him from aiming right, but his punches have some power in them. I better keep myself from getting hit_." Thought the boy carefully when his guard protected him from harm, but the intensity from the punches would numb the affected area. Ranma had always been an expert in fending off from most attacks but this time a more focused Ryoga began to hit and skip towards him more furiously.

The anything goes martial artist could read every single blow with ease, and as he jumped from side to side Ranma failed to see the real strategy Ryoga unconsciously began to use to counter his insuperable speed.

The moment of truth came when a huge opening let Ryoga vulnerable for an assault from Ranma. The chestnuts roasted in an open fire technique proved perfect when his opponent concentrated mostly against Ranma's arms and legs, outside the center from his opponent.

The more Ryoga hit towards his shoulders and upper legs, the easier he let his full torso open for retaliation. Ranma figured that the lost boy thought he could take in any attack directed at his chest but a few thousand hits focused on his stomach by his fastest technique were more than enough to force the air out of him.

As planned, the pigtailed fighter began his assault against Ryoga, and just as he predicted, the bandanna clad boy walked a few steps back, trying to regain the air lost from such relentless blast of punches. It was satisfying to see him like that despite the strange numbing sensation his muscles began to register.

Ranma's labored breathing hardly mattered when he saw his rival suffocating on the ground, but that never counted as a victory when Ryoga, tired and weak stood once again without hesitation.

"Guess we're at it again buddy." Mustered bitterly the lighter teen.

"Guess again, Ranma Saotome." Gasped under his breath Ryoga right before he slowly got up, and walked closer to the pigtailed boy. Ranma decided to ignore his threat, and instead went back into an offensive stance exactly when both his arms, and legs almost gave up on him, leaving him leaning against a nearby wall.

"_What the hell_?" Asked the boy to himself. He tried to quickly understand the reasoning behind this outcome. There sure weren't any hits connecting directly against his guard which he used to slide away from a more powerful Ryoga.

That's when he realized something he didn't take into account up until this second happened. If he had some very good talents, analyzing a situation in the nick of time was his most valued asset thought assuredly the boy. "Man. I never thought of that in the first place, good one Ryoga." Said Ranma finally in defeat.

Akane and the other two girls saw in doubt what had happened but unable to explain it to themselves. It all seemed like Ranma had beaten Ryoga into a hyperventilating teen grabbing his guts and bent down on his feet. There were no assault fast enough the fanged boy could use to reach the pigtailed fighter, and yet at the end the slower opponent remained standing while the more agile one laid static against a wall.

"R-Ranma. What happened?" Asked Akane as she tried to wrap her mind around the situation.

"It took me some time ta realize, but Ryoga managed to harden his body ta a point where my punches just crashed against his steel like form, almost like what would happen if a normal person relentlessly punched a concrete wall. My muscles went numb and stopped reacting a few seconds after I could do anything about it."

It was something not even Ryoga had come up with in the heat of the fight. It was more like a reflection from the hell reigning in his troubled mind.

Without any other interruption, the lost boy grabbed Ranma by his silken shirt, pulling him up at his level and pulling his arm back ready for his own pummeling punishment.

"Like I said Ranma. You die today."


	3. Chapter 3

There was nothing anyone could do at this point. Ukyo and Shampoo didn't dare to make a move after the lost boy forced them back with a defying growl affecting more than their senses. His semblance remained ferociously focused at the teens, willing to do anything if they were to intervene.

Neither girl wanted to leave Ranma alone, but the sneering response wildly thrown at them made their muscles freeze as if Ryoga had stun them in place.

Akane, still groggily from the shoving push could barely understand what had happened to her closest male friend. She knew Akari left with the boy almost a year ago, leaving the couple in a state of eternal bliss.

Besides his understandable lack of direction, no other thing seemed to affect the new romantic relationship the two began to develop together.

Finally, after some effort from the young Tendo, Akane managed to snap from the trance in the exact moment Ryoga lifted Ranma high enough where he could see him eye to eye, ready to pummel the boy against a wall.

"Ryoga, please. We can help you" Yelled Akane trying to dissuade the boy from hitting Ranma, and at the same time wake him up from whatever spell he was under.

"There is no help for me until Ranma stop making my life a living hell!" Said the boy with a broken tone. Ranma couldn't help but wonder about his rival's despertation though. He could see right into his eyes from where he hanged, and the only thing he perceived from Ryoga were the pain and tears streaming down his cheeks.

"_Something is terribly wrong with him. I could react once my body regains strength, but no. I need ta help him now that I have the chance_." Thought Ranma worriedly.

With a friendly smile and his eyes amusingly closed, the pigtailed boy assured Ryoga he was in control of the situation. His sincerity and cheerful demeanor made the hurting teen soften his anger, reinforcing the strong feelings he had as of late, and helping to understand more clearly the voice clamoring in his mind.

"_This has nothing to do with him Ryoga-kun. I need you like never before, but I am not him. Please leave this place and find me_" Said the voice inside his head. Both, the boy dangling from his semi-hardened fist and that other imaginary girl were more than enough for Ryoga to realize what had he done up until this second.

The lost boy began to loosen his grip on Ranma at this point, curiously weakening even more once he saw how close his face remained from him. Those big pretty blue eyes staring back at his more trembling ones made his knees almost buckle when certain fake memories had them both kissing and making out.

The sudden realization forced Ryoga to jump back, and away from the teen who finally fell on his rear end against the dirt.

Ranma's muscles still remained numb from the earlier attack so the boy could barely do anything about it. He instead chose to stay there for the time being, questioning the sudden change in his friend's mind.

"Ouch. Easy man, I'm still recuperating you know?" Complained the boy laying on the ground.

"Anyway, what's going on Ryoga. What in the hell really happened ta you?" Inquired the teen amused.

The question made Ryoga very uncomfortable to answer after the embarrassing images passing through his head kept repeating the show about a redheaded girl touching and kissing him, specially when those moments became annoyingly real thanks to Akari's kiss.

"S-Sorry Ranma. I can't answer that." Muttered almost silently the boy, cleaning his tears away and dumbly walking with no idea where to go.

"Oh no. You ain't leaving me like this man. Common, you coming with me." Said Ranma once he managed to stand up, grabbing Ryoga's wrist as a way to remain stable.

The lost boy's skin crawled when the touch made him feel what he had sensed for weeks now, but things became a lot more complicated when his escape was stalled after Akane stood right in front of him, forcing him to stay in place.

"What he said, Ryoga-kun. We're not leaving you out of our sight until you explain yourself." Defied the girl at him.

Ryoga found no other way to break loose from the situation. Running away became the easiest maneuver for the teen to avoid further embarrassment but his aching brain, and tired body thanks to Ranma's assault left him with no way to use that strategy.

"Alright. I guess." Said Ryoga defeated. "But you're not going to like what I have to say." Warned the young man. Ukyo and Shampoo finally snapped from the freezing spell. They had a mind to reclaim at the lost boy for the harsh treatment, but Ranma and Akane interceded for the fanged teen until the boy could explain himself.

Although many neighbors asked about the sudden arrangement of their now broken sidewalk Akane assured them that the mischief had been resolved and that her father, a city's counsel member would happily repair any discrepancy from the fight.

Besides the disgruntled people complaining noisily, the way back home remained almost uneventful. Ryoga, who remained right between the arguing couple tried intensely to avoid getting close to either one of them, paying special attention at the pigtailed boy who kept staring back at him from a distance.

Akane knew that his sudden treatment towards her from the fight had made Ryoga afraid to talk freely about his problem, giving the girl the idea to deal with the situation between the two of them alone before Ranma could worsen things up.

What she wondered though was the fearful stares he threw at Ranma whom couldn't help but tease him by it.

The pigtailed boy kept speeding his steps towards the nervous wreck, reaching the lost boy at a point where Ryoga would snap angrily, forcing him to move closer to Akane despite of what he recently had done to her.

A giggle or two coming from Ranma made the fanged fighter blush intensely and look down which made Akane furiously kick her fiancee ahead of the two, and into the air.

"I don't know what happened to you Ryoga-kun, but you need to learn how to ignore that idiot." Said the concerned girl.

"There is not much I can do about it after..." Ryoga almost slipped from spilling the tragedy involving Akari, and a certain voice engulfing Ranma's curse into his confused head.

He was sure the pigtailed boy was to blame somehow, but once that same tone dismissed all charges from Ranma things began to look a lot stranger by the minute.

"Care to tell me what was all that about?" Asked Akane with confidence after the times they spent together as close friends in recent years.

"Only if you promise me not to say anything to that moron, and more importantly. Swear you won't laugh, or condemn me for what I'm about to tell you." Rebutted sternly the boy.

Afterwards, both older teens decided the Tendo Dojo wasn't really a place to discuss such matters. Kasumi was the only capable woman to understand the position Ryoga was in, but Ranma and Nabiki were the most dangerous people incapable of understanding what the raven haired girl heard from start to end as they kept walking.

She suddenly stood right in the middle of the sidewalk, flabbergasted from the impossibility of it all. The boy uneasily trembled as his tale reflected a life taken from a real nightmare. With doubt clearly painted on his face the lost boy expected Akane to blame him like she sometimes did in the past.

Unknowingly to the girl Ryoga once saw disappointment in her features, like when "that time" when Akane believed he was really in love with Ranma during the fishing rod of love incident. It was nerve wrecking how the girl blamed him for something he never intended to act upon in the first place.

From Akane's stand point, there were some terrible times when she couldn't believe the idiotic ways in which her fiance treated the poor boy. From dressing cute to actually declare his misguided fake feelings for a nervous teen, Ranma proved he could mangle Ryoga to a point where he could easily fall for him.

Ranma definitely stopped from doing anything "girly" after Ryoga left with Akari almost a year ago. She wondered that perhaps some late side effect from the fishing rod of love could be ailing Ryoga's present symptoms, but that too became a moot point when the affected one by it was Ranma and not the lost boy.

For the space of an hour Akane Tendo remained silently staring into the already night sky. Thankfully the truth about P-chan had been revealed long ago, and after the confession the fanged teen guiltily admitted the following inhuman beating she gave him which put to rest any attempts for both to go back to the old ways and more importantly, it helped them to remain truthful under any situation.

She sure missed P-chan, but despite his missing body sleeping with her the fact of the matter is that Ryoga remained her best and closest friend. That was the main reason why Akane confided completely in his trust.

The only loose end keeping the situation from been resolved was that voice in his head that turned him into a madman.

"And who do you think that voice belongs to?" Asked the girl attentively.

"Really?" asked back the boy. "I tell you Ranma's voice got me all crazy and that whatever happened to me during Akari's date made me, not only confuse her with Ranma, but experiment something I can only describe as developing feelings for that idiot and you ask about the voice?"

Akane couldn't help but smile at the confused teen. She always had an inkling of a feeling about what would happen if Ryoga was capable to succumb for Ranma regardless of his original gender.

In fact, the girl used to dream about a redheaded girl marrying her best friend while she clapped among the crowd, happy to finally forget about the annoyance Ranma Saotome represented as a husband.

Not to mistake this as indifference or lack of feelings for her fiance, thought in retrospect the girl. After all she did love Ranma, but to deal with an immature idiot who valued more his pride as a man than to work together as a couple sometimes annoyed her to no end.

She knew about her flaws as well thanks mostly at the subtle conversations Ryoga had with her over the years. She was no prize to be won, according to the way Ryoga explained what Ranma's rants detailed about the girl.

Eventually the Tendo's youngest could finally admit a lot of improvement was needed to improve herself, but for some reason she believed her temper could be the answer to control her rebellious fiance.

All in all, many others believed they were made for each other without actually understanding what could happen between the two on the long run. That alone made Akane snicker as she asked Ryoga with amusement in her words "what if?"

"Well. Would you be able to follow those feelings and fall for Ranma in the end?" Eagerly teased Akane.

The question turned Ryoga's face beet red, forcing him to stutter rather amusingly when his scrunched up eyes revealed to the girl his answer was going to be much more complicated than what she expected to hear.

"I-I could never fall for him, Akane-san." Said the teen nervously while driving his hands towards both sides of his head, aware of the intimate images popping tiredly in his mind.

"But for 'her', I don't know." Replied the young man, this time referring to the curse mostly.

"Yeah I figured that much." Asserted Akane somewhat sternly.

"Ranma has had that idiotic way to use his form for more than food and treats as you so blatantly have discover." Admitted bitterly this time.

She witnessed first hand over the years how her fiance would use Ranko as a tool to entice his enemies with all manner of sensual maneuvers hardly accepted as manly, which antagonized his whole ideal to become "a man among men".

Akane explained Ryoga about certain times when even her best wishes to control Ranma proved futile at best. That's when one of those examples gave the lost boy the answer he had been looking for up until now.

The youngest Tendo mentioned times when he wasn't around as either a human nor a piglet, times when the pigtailed boy would flirt and mess with men not only to win either a bet or a fight, but to show how capable he was to handle any situation, case in point...

"There was a time when he had a double coming from within a magic mirror. As soon as that double came into this world Ranma did nothing more than teach her "how to get men". Can you believe it!?"

Akane couldn't help but rave angrily as she told Ryoga how, during that scuffle, the fanged teen almost got kissed by Ranma's double during one of their escapades.

"I barely managed to keep a tab on both, unfortunately I couldn't do a thing when that mirror image straddled over, almost kissing you in the mouth. By the time I arrived to help you ran away, punching Ranma for the incident instead of the double." Said the girl regretfully.

"_And that's how I met you, darling_" Said a more serene internal voice once Akane had made the connection between the double, and the ghost plaguing Ryoga with all manner of intimate images of Ranma's cursed form.

Ryoga suddenly snapped, clearly excited from the discovery. The boy mutely signaled at Akane that the voice had returned and that she had finally revealed her hidden identity.

"She is that girl you just told me about, Akane-san. I think I need to help her somehow." whispered the boy.

Akane understood that could be a more plausible explanation than to blame Ranma for it. After all they all left that tucked mirror unsupervised right in the middle of nowhere.

"I see. Well I guess you didn't imagine it after all, and thankfully I can now rest assured that Ranma isn't involved into any of this." Added Akane cheerfully. With the resolve she had mustered to solve such complicated problem the young Tendo agreed to do something about it before things could get out of hand.

"Ryoga-kun. Why don't we talk with dad, and ask him about that place. I think he has a map from the motel we can use to travel and solve this little problem once and for all."

Ryoga beamed happily at the solution, agreeing with the girl that, after everything were to go back to normal if she could help him explain everything to Akari.

"Happily Ryoga-kun. I guess that is the best thing I can do after the mess we got you into."

Relived by the plan at hand Akane Tendo decided to lead Ryoga back home where things could be properly handled.


	4. Chapter 4

This coming chapter may get a bit out of hand so I'll try to take it down a notch or three. If it gets too out of hand just ignore the whole thing.

**Chapter 4**

"_You know, I think this might work after all_."

"_You really think so?. What about you being a guy first, and a girl __most likely never_?"

Fleeting memories hastily drowned out after a set of tones disturbed what looks like a frantic night. Tic, Toc. .. .Click!. Tapped a trembling hand, giving the boy a chance to snap out of the trance. Unfortunately the wake up call didn't help for long.

Moments later a tiny light flashed across the dark room after Ryoga pulled an old alarm clock from his backpack. The boy needed to use it every time he ended up lost in the wilderness without a way to know if he had walked all night, or if there was enough time to set up camp before sunrise.

This time though the main reason for his desperate attempt to know the time was due to the consecutive bombarding of images, and memories he was sure they never happened but most annoyingly the new addition about a cute female Ranma discussing intimate stuff while laying on a bed together.

"_So?. I can always be a guy whenever I feel like doing guy stuff, an' I can always do "girly" stuff when the time come__s__, you know. Like hav__ing__ babies and get busy with you. __Unless of course you're chickening out_"

The last animated memory accentuated even harder what the earlier set of images did ever since they began, forcing him to not only see a redheaded girl willing to love and live together with him in both forms, but according to the last nightmare accepting her role as mother, and wife.

The vivid feeling in those dreams were the hardest downfall the poor boy had so much trouble dealing with, leaving him with the only choice his feeble mind was capable to process.

"_Why are you doing this to me!. I know you are in trouble and believe me. I want to help, but why forcing me to deal with Ranma in this way. I just don't get it_." Asked desperate the sleepy teen to the sleepless voice in his mind.

"_I'm truly sorry Ryoga-kun but keeping the intensity from those dreams help me maintain the connection between you and I. I know you really want to help but time is against us. The mirror is about to break and with it our lives!_" Explained the worrisome female tone.

The voice told him about the magic in the mirror and how it began to crack from an accident the motel manager had months ago, claiming his life in the process and leaving them with no chance to survive the incident.

Ryoga tried to accept his misfortune at this point, unable to pass judgment on the imaginary yet alive girl, and instead decided to force himself to sleep once again.

Tic, Toc. ... .Click. Called out the timer once again.

Thirty minutes since the last conversation left the lost boy's back filled with lumps and bruises. He spent what it felt like ages tossing and turning without a way to fall back asleep. The conversation intensifying as the emotions deeply erupting in his mind and body.

Suddenly, in the middle of the room a silhouette emerged lying right before the boy. Without noticing anything during the night Ryoga saw mesmerized the female form of Ranma sprawled like a lazy cat, arms and legs spread all over her surrounding bedroll.

In that instant he decided to take the chance and look around the room, checking Genma Saotome placidly snoring all the way back near the window, hopefully getting the nice breeze coming from outside, he figured.

Despite his effort to distract himself from looking down at the sleeping beauty Ryoga failed to realize what the mind games filled with sensuous imagery had done to his more physical instincts.

By now the love scenes dispatched by the mirror girl had taken a toll in his heated up body.

Without any strength left, Ryoga closed his eyes as his last droplets of self-control were about to ran out, helping him for a brief moment to fall back on his own bed roll and receive what he begged the most during this torturous seconds. Relief.

The teen sighed thankfully once his own tired mind called him back to sleep. Unfortunately the nightmares continued giving him all the wrong signals to his lust and desire for that redhead. He could see them both entangled in a mass of limbs that left nothing to the imagination.

His lips kissing hers while Ranma would accept his cares willingly. In the background the same conversations about their intent to give birth, and the wish to live a fruitful and happy time together served to enhance even more what Ryoga needed to experiment now.

"_Damn it. Why can't I control this like before. I need to concentrate_." Thought the boy desperate about the situation. That's when the voice opted for stopping the connection between the two, giving some more leverage Ryoga could use to resist temptation.

Finally he fell asleep happily and ready to enjoy the rest of the night. Or so he thought. Ryoga could sense moments of relief that helped him relax for once since all this mess began. Then again, a heat started to raise out of nowhere.

The lost boy tried to explain to himself these were the effects from that voice leaving him alone. He felt how the warmth invading his entrails kept rolling over his hands, and lastly right under "there". That's when he forced his eyes open and looked without any control what unraveled before his surroundings.

There, in the middle of the room, a familiar face stared back at his own, mind you the person opposite to where he laid was still asleep, but what alarmed his demeanor the most were the position his hands stayed against the cursed girl.

The teen couldn't believe himself when each hand rested right underneath Ranma's shirt, squeezing and releasing the pressure those two body parts had while giving the teen a feeling he had only felt through dreams. Ryoga tried to snap away from the titillating touch, managing to slowly pull them from where they were.

Oddly enough his hands felt so heavy and numb during the intent, that's why his teeth clenched in anger when the more he tried to be careful, the more his limbs slid across the redhead's smooth skin as if he caressed her in an intimate manner. This was definitely his death sentence.

Slowly, and steady as he went, the boy released a puff of trapped air in his lungs when his hands were free from their comfortable entrapment. He paced himself ready to move all the way towards the other side of the room when his eyes looked up, and met the already woken girl intently staring back at him.

Immediately both teens sat up one in front of the other. Ryoga knew this was the end ever since he remembered a Ranma magically cursed to love him during the fishing rod of love incident.

Everything was going fine as the pigtailed teen decided to live in the fanged teen's tent and wash his clothes while he was away. It all seemed perfectly normal for Ranma thanks to the spell, but when he tried to change into a girl just to keep appearances with the neighbors, Ryoga's dismissal made Ranma turn angry and volatile.

Same feeling rushed to his head when the question "Ryoga. What the hell were you doin'?". Escaped the redhead's pursed lips.

"I-I. ... .Um, I was. I mean I wasn't!" Answered Ryoga with a trembling voice. He kept waiting for the unrelenting punishment he was about to receive, but something made both teens stop altogether and slowly look down.

As Ranma did so, a strange feeling started to crawl her skin from bottom to top of her head. She couldn't help but tremble wildly while trying to keep her senses together. When she finally veered her eyes toward her thighs, the feeling led an even stronger sensation she had never felt before.

Ryoga couldn't help but notice her shaking uncontrollably, giving him a certain idea that she was feeling what he felt not five minutes ago. When he saw her reach "down there" and suddenly close her legs at the same time a tremendous blush ran across her face, he deduced something else had happened to the girl.

Slowly the redhead stood from where she sat, wobbly walking towards a wall and holding on it with a hand for dear life. The other arm conveniently covered her somewhat swollen chest while her timid fist stayed glued right between her legs.

"I-I swear Ryoga. T-This ain't over man." Weakly mused the teen while opening the room, tip toeing towards the bathroom. By then Ryoga decided to roll his bed, take his backpack with him, and wobbly walk through the window and into the backyard ready to accept what he deserved.

There was no happy feelings after this, pondered the boy. He somehow did one of the worst things a man could do to a woman, not to mention to the one girl who wasn't female in the first place. Ryoga knew there was no escape from this, leaving him with no other choice but to make camp around the bushes in wait for his demise.

About an hour had already passed when a thud announced a very male Ranma walking on his direction. The now enraged boy stomped into the tent, finding the fanged teen bent down on his hands and knees.

"You think 'that pose' is going ta save you from what you just did ta me?" Demanded the boy angrily, cracking his knuckles in demonstration of a hell of a payback the other teen was about to receive.

"I don't expect mercy from what I did Ranma. Go ahead and kill me if you want. I deserve that and more." Admitted Ryoga defeated.

He waited second after second for judgment to ensue, but instead of receiving the greatest beating of his life, his eyes saw Ranma's feet right under his bowed head. He then turned up watching as his rival sat Indian style right in front of him.

"Why did you do it, Ryoga. You know I could kill you after what you did, but Akane warned me to stay away from you for the time being. But still." What had happened deserved no excuse, specially after the memories, and emotions became unbearable to survive.

Ryoga sighed sternly when the incident forced him to come clean despite his best efforts to keep it from Ranma of all people. The boy moved from his begging stance and into a sitting position just like the one the pigtailed teen had assumed.

The night began to run its course outside, giving pass to a bright and early morning. The fanged boy stared amazed at his companion who just kept nodding at the story, humming in deep thought as if analyzing every fact could validate Ryoga's actions.

"A-And that's what happened, Ranma. I know nothing will repay what just happened man, and I'm resolved to make it up to you even with my life, but please. Let me try and help that girl before she dies."

Ranma considered every point before agreeing to help him out. He understood the pressure the fanged boy went through after the way those images messed with his head. He did remember as well the time a year ago when an angry Ryoga quietly begged him to stop teasing him dressed in strange costumes.

It was nothing but a blast seeing the poor obfuscated fanged teen apologize to the sweet redheaded waitress, basketball player, or meter maid trying to seduce him without the boy seeing through his masterful disguises.

Everything changed when Akari accompanied him the last time he tried to ask him on a date, just for the hell of it. The green haired girl instantly recognized him which turned Ryoga into a ball of negative feelings towards him.

He obviously patted Ryoga on the back, insinuating how gullible he was towards girls, but his eyes brimming with tears and the blue streak across his nose were enough to bring Ranma back into reality. All in all, On that time he ended his misbehavior by saying. "OK Ryoga. I owe you one this time."

It was a tough decision to make since even he could barely look him in the eye after what he did. Specially after the foreign sensation he felt in his mind at the time, and more importantly the extremely powerful shock during the experience.

Ranma knew where to stand when it came to his curse, and all the raving things he did as a girl. He knew when to pull away after a well performed act of seduction was going too far for the boy to handle and he always managed to land on his feet after surprises like Kuno's attachment to his female chest would scare him straight.

But what he felt as a girl that night not only forced him out of his comfort zone, but began to question the way he looked at Ryoga now. With an index finger into the air, and a stoic stare at him Ranma decided to impose his own rules before accepting to help him.

"First. You swear here and now that no one. And I mean no one will ever hear of what happened last night. Second. You are forbidden from looking at me in the eyes, don' ask why am I demanding that, just go with it." Despite his serious demeanor Ryoga agreed to the rules without questioning them, after all he didn't want to end up deeper than what his resolve could fight off.

As it is, even the need to go and see Akari stopped in Ryoga's mind when all he could see was Ranma's body, face and fake love in the form of his late girlfriend.

"Lastly. Once we rescue those guys from the mirror you're going ta walk away, and leave me ta decide what ta do with them." Another fair request from the boy.

"Deal" Said Ryoga agreeing with the conditions. The pigtailed martial artist chose to take his leave now, hoping to avoid Ryoga for the time being, and sort the complicated emotions he suffered during that close encounter with him.

By then it was already late morning. Kasumi had breakfast ready, and since her call never reached either boy, both decided to be on their own the rest of that day.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

A brand new day across the city of Nerima relented the old times when going to school became nothing but chaos.

Trying to keep up with adventures and a normal life were a lot more complicated for the young teens, but ever since Akane and Ranma finished high school last year, the only challenge they have now is to get ready for cram school, a more harsh learning center made for those who wanted to enter college.

"You're lucky daddy let us stay home until next month." Said Akane as they sat on the table.

"Thankfully some meetings made dad take more seriously his job as the city's council member so, we have enough time to resolve your problem before we leave for cram school, Ryoga-kun."

The fanged teen almost gave his thanks for the help when a pigtailed boy popped into the room. Instantly his sight turned towards his rival who up to this moment talked confidently with the youngest Tendo.

"By the way, what happened to you last night?" Questioned Akane at the lost boy before she realized Ranma entered the room.

"Did the nightmares stop you from sleeping at all?" Asked the girl once again concerned by her friend. Ryoga wanted to reply to her question this time only to stop the second Ranma faked a yawn covered by the back of his closed fist while his eyebrows arched towards an angry face.

Both teens stared at each other for less than a second, yet enough time passed for the two to remember what had happened two days ago. Ryoga immediately dropped his sight towards the table below while Ranma frowned bothered by the sight of him.

"And whatever happened to you, Ranma. Did something bother you last night as well?" Asked the girl, this time wondering why both teens had been late for breakfast. "Don't tell me you two were at each other's necks like always?"

The second question made the pigtailed boy blush profusely after the wrong meaning from their encounter crawled directly into his mind. This time Akane raised an eyebrow in puzzlement, still wondering if maybe Ryoga told him something about the dreams.

When she quietly murmured at the lost boy over the issue, Ryoga simply shook his head and tried to hide his own flushing face from her. "N-No. I didn't."

The girl shook her head, looking at one and then at the other, realizing something had transpired but since Ryoga reluctantly remained quiet she chose to leave it alone for now.

When she was about to walk into the new office and ask her father about the map, that's when all hell broke loose. From out of nowhere screams and complains traveled across the house. Kasumi worked diligently with the cleaning and food preparation that there was no point in checking on her.

Nabiki remained in Tokyo for a college interview which helped ease the gossip she earned from her extracurricular activities about illegal bets and trafficking of information she was so famously known for.

No. The screams came from within Soun Tendo's room made into an office downstairs. All three teens watched as Ukyo and Cologne followed by Shampoo exited the official chamber with balled fists, and angry demeanor.

"This is outrageous Mr. Tendo. You can't do this to me after all I've been through with Ran-chan!" Demanded the cook with tears in her eyes.

"Exactly as she said Soun Tendo. Maybe you have grounds to take that court order to my face, but my Shampoo won the right to wed fairly enough. This is just a trick to have our chances annulled!"

Both their complains kept stacking on each other for some time despite the puzzled teens sitting on the table asking what was all that about. Ranma still gone in his mind remained ignorant of what was going on though while Ryoga quietly asked Akane about the scandal.

The girl simply shrugs her shoulders and told him she had heard some voices coming in early in the morning, but couldn't see who were they until now. Trying to dis any confrontation with either one of them Akane hurriedly ran at her father, ready to ask him for the favor she needed and leave before more problems could stop them from doing so.

"Daddy, I need to talk with you. Privately." Sweetly mused the girl at the busy man.

"I am sorry daughter, but I must deal with this now." Said her father rather annoyed by the two young teens demanding to be heard. Ukyo and Shampoo tried to drag Ranma in when they saw him pouting alone in the living room.

The boy seemed lost on his own thoughts, looking aimlessly into the ceiling while deciding if it would be OK to leave the house for the time being.

"Ranma-kun!" Announced Soun as he saw him walking towards the exit. "I need you and Akane-chan to stay. Even better, I need you in my office now." Said the man before walking his guests out of the house almost against their will.

The girl stared at her father with questioning looks, turning to see Ryoga in the process and quietly signaling him to wait a little longer while she attended her dad's Request. Ranma on the other hand just shrugged carelessly, aiming towards the bedroom made office without a care in the world.

"Whatever." Said the teen, giving half looks towards Ryoga sitting a few feet from where he walked. The lost boy couldn't help but look down apologetically, noticing only when the strong stares from the pigtailed boy became too penetrating to ignore.

A moment passed when both met eye to eye. Ranma tried to show how angry he was from the assault against his will, but something made him look up and down his features. Ryoga saw this and wondered if something else ran through his rival's head when his stares made him so uncomfortable, a blush began to run across his nose.

"Oh man!" angrily bit Ranma aware that he had been found out by the other teen. With a swift move, the pigtailed teen turned around and walked away from Ryoga, deeply perturbed from the thoughts he was now getting in his head.

After the door loudly locked both teens inside Ryoga managed to catch Ukyo and Shampoo who had decided to stay behind and solve their little problem. Cologne chose to ignore the whole deal and instead she skipped away towards her restaurant.

"Ukyo. I wanted to talk to you about yesterday. You see."

His apology could not be heard at all after both girls took turns to yell at him for what had happened today. When Ryoga asked them about it both the cook and waitress decided to let him in on the threat.

"Mr. Tendo decided that we are not bride material for Ran-chan. He came up with some evidence showing me as a rebellious girl who passes the time breaking his daughter's attempt to marry him. Can you believe it? Me a rebel!?"

Ryoga tried to agree with the Okonomiyaki chef but after what happened three years ago during Ranma and Akane's wedding, not to mention the hassle she and Shampoo get into with the martial artist on a daily basis, odds didn't seem well in her favor.

Fortunately, the Chinese girl interrupted his time to support Ukyo, demanding herself the promise of marriage she had with Ranma was the valid engagement even before he had met with the Tendo girl.

"Mustache man wrong, Ai ren no marry violent girl, he Shampoo is!" Complained angrily the young teen. By now Ryoga had no choice but admit they had no chance with Ranma. The boy in question had Shampoo mostly as a pest he could not control, or reject thanks to his good heart towards the girl's feelings.

With Ukyo, things weren't as simple. The pigtailed fighter confessed him long ago that he saw the chef more like a sister than a fiancee. Still with the existence of three official girlfriends, and the bloated pride he had from such achievement Ranma had no idea how to solve the dilemma himself. That is until now.

"I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do to help. If anything I only wanted to apologize by the way I acted. Besides that, I don't think." Expressed the deflated boy who stopped from finishing the sentence when both girls began to sob uncontrollably.

"It doesn't matter now sugar. Mr. Tendo finally found a way to repay me for the food truck Mr. Saotome accepted in the beginning." Inquired the girl. "He even threatened Cologne and Shampoo of using a law against their traditions on this country, forcing the two to end up in jail if they kept pushing for the issue to go through."

Ryoga realized how serious Soun Tendo had become over the years. The boy finally understood all the rants the neighbors wildly voiced every since he arrived in Nerima. All of them ignored their squabbles because they knew Akane's father was part of their city's counsel.

"What are you planning to do now?" Asked the boy almost dreading the response he knew Ukyo was bound to give him.

"What else can I do?. Mr. Soun told me that it would better for me to move my business elsewhere, he said it was fine for me to stay, but if I were to try and intervene in his affairs with Akane and Ranma he then would charge me with the destruction of private property and even add what I did during the last wedding."

The lost boy could do nothing to try and help them by now. Shampoo as a warrior would never quit for Ranma's love, but the elder Tendo was right. Claiming to be betrothed because a Chinese law requirement did not mean she could enforce that law here.

He really wanted to do something about the girls but he found no way to do so since he became a liability not two days ago. With heavy hearts, the purple haired girl was the first in leaving after her great grandmother was very clear on her orders.

"Take care sugar, and please try not to mess around like last night. Who knows, maybe Mr. Tendo can forgive you from going to jail after breaking a sidewalk or two but don't bet your luck on it." Told Ukyo at the shy boy, patting him on the back as she left the Dojo for good.

By now the only one waiting outside was him. Because of the important matters attending in that office, Kasumi was asked to leave the food for later, then her father asked the older girl to join them in the meeting. Moments later the first in coming out was Akane.

She had her usual angry demeanor at the time of her exit. The girl promptly pulled Ryoga aside just as an even angrier Ranma stomped into the living room.

"This ain't fair!. You can't order them around, an' most importantly you can't make me marry someone under your orders. Tell him pop!" Demanded the boy at his father, but the man simply remained quiet, accepting that the decision to get them together was a combined effort between the two.

"Sorry m'boy, but it's time for you to take things seriously, an' to be honest I think we were wise enough to decide for you." Spoke the father who in the end let his old friend take matters on his own hands.

"No! You can' just order me what ta do. I won't accept it." Replied Ranma.

"Well I'm sorry you think that way, but everything has been arranged. Both Cologne and Shampoo will be leaving soon for China where they can work on real passports, and permits to stay here while Miss Kounji has been issued a specific payment for the cart Saotome-kun so graciously accepted long ago."

This time the elder directed himself at both his daughter and her brand new fiance. "In your case, both of you will remain in home until all this is settled. I am really sorry Ranma-kun, but I won't let your life and by connection my daughter's to end up in misery, and ruin."

The man demanded the pigtailed boy to obey and stay put. Not even his desire to challenge him counted since he had plenty of evidence about his guilt over fights against the law, and his escapades as a girl who enticed and stole property from a lot of men in the surrounding areas.

When Ryoga tried to intervene in Ranma's behalf by respectfully raising his index finger into the air, Mr. Tendo stopped him on his tracks, happy to have the lost boy where he wanted him.

"Don't think I forgot about you Ryoga-kun. What I'm about to do is mostly for your own good as well." The man told him about all the broken stuff left behind during his last assault against his son-in-law.

He warned him from ever trying to cause unrest in the city and finally told him to forget whatever he planned to do with Akane.

"Sorry my boy, but my daughter and Ranma will be in house arrest until every party has done how I requested."

Ryoga stared back at Akane who until now had no other choice but to obey her old man. Ranma still kept looking away, aiming towards his room angry at the unfair treatment.

The lost boy agreed with the older man, respectfully accepting his still invitation to stay in their home, but abruptly declining it once he had more pressing matters to attend.

After a while he left the Dojo as well, leaving behind both Ranma and Akane, and focusing instead on the voice who never left him on his own.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

There were times when the bleakest of situations meant nothing but a challenge for Ryoga to surpass. From a curse he never desired to the hopelessness to get lost in record time the older teen began to dread how impossible this task seemed.

Not two hours had passed before his chances to find, and save the voice in his head turned from a possible mission to accomplish and into the fear of losing them in the process.

The culprit of it all, Mr. Tendo who had gone from bad to worse when Akane described her dad as a totally new man appointed head of the city's counsel not long ago, and consequently be made into the only defense the town had against martial artists.

"_They don't matter now_." Shared the boy in a more practical way with his mental guest.

"_I'm sure we can get to where you are in about a month or two_." Assured Ryoga this time. Pretty much the time it would usually take the teen to get anywhere if the need is too demanding. Unfortunately time was a commodity they didn't have a lot to spare of.

"_I don't know__, the way I see it I don't think we have more than a week. Maybe even less_." Said the voice back at the teen. "_The incident happened nearly two months ago, and despite the best my brother and I have tried to delay things on this side, three o__r__ four days are the most we can keep from the mirror to shatter_."

That confession made Ryoga extremely nervous, after all, his sense of direction had giving him large amounts of time before being able to be at a specific location even when he intently focused to get there in time.

"_No matter, I'm sure that if you tell me where to go I think we can get there with time to spare_." Said the fanged teen trying to lighten up the mood. After the reassuring comment the lost boy started to rub both hands together, bending a knee on the ground afterwards and readying himself for a hasty walk across the world.

Moments later people living on the outskirts of town saw a young man leading a cloud of dust across the city right before a beautiful sunset, leaving behind old friends while looking forward to save important people in distress.

Back at the Tendo Dojo things could not be more stressful for a couple who had been forced into marriage once again. Akane Tendo stared angrily at a door which at the time remained locked with his father in it.

The girl dealt with innumerable challenges over the years where she often was rescued by her closest cursed friend, so, by forbidding her collaboration from helping Ryoga during a crisis this big made her desperation over her own situation even more delicate.

She understood the reasoning behind all this though. Both her dad and Mr. Saotome worked for years to try and solve the dilemma over the other two fiancees Ranma won during his life. Ukyo was supposed to be the first and oldest of them all, but not as a bride as far as the pigtailed boy would consider.

The one who made things worse was none other than Genma Saotome who chose to steal the chef's back then livelihood while the second bride became a terrible mistake Ranma never cared to fix from the beginning.

For years now there was a lot of debate over who would be the rightful candidate for his hand in matrimony, and that led to a problem almost impossible to solve. The sad conclusion Akane arrived at was that her father finally gave up on the current situation and chose to take matters on his own hands.

The disciplinary action felt out of place though. The girl saw time and again how her father allowed Ranma to deal with his life decisions all on his own, intervening only when the girl or the promise over reuniting the schools became a risk he would lose.

Taking action this time not only enforced her marriage as a done deal but she know leaving home for college is another risk in their relationship. Even with all that Akane felt her father hid something else behind all this problem.

Her pondering took the raven haired girl outside the house and towards the roof where she knew Ranma used as a place for meditation. It was well into the night as Akane carefully propped herself on top of the house finding the teen acting stranger than ever.

Sneaking carefully without being noticed the young Tendo watched puzzled as her now official fiance stepped angrily from one side to the other on top of the structure. She perceived an atmosphere of anger for obvious reasons, but something else lingered in Ranma's mannerisms that made Akane question what else had happened in her absence.

He unconsciously berated himself almost silently, like blaming what happened to Ukyo and Shampoo as his lack of decision making ability. What made Akane intervene into his mutely conversation to himself was when the boy would run his hands across his chest, driving then the tips from his fingers by his lips.

"Ranma. Are you OK?" Asked the girl curious, scaring the teen in the process.

The young man hurriedly took his wondering fingers away from his face, nervously stiffing his body from the sudden intrusion while trying to look relaxed.

"Y-Yeah, I'm OK. Why?" Replied rather rudely the teen.

"I don't know. It's as if you were touching yourself in a weird way but I guess I was imagining things."

The realization about his demeanor drove the pigtailed boy to fake ignorance and simply sit on top of the shingles like he used to do all the time.

"I am just thinking 'bout all the stuff happening at once." Quipped the boy.

With a more stern look Ranma stared at the girl, hoping to help her understand his feelings about the situation. "I swear Akane, I never wanted for this ta happen. I was sure something else could be done where I.. ."

"Where you could solve the marriage deal in an honorable way?" Interceded the girl who already saw regret in the boy's features. Ranma just nodded and returned back at staring into the night. The young Tendo decided this to be the right moment to sit right next to him, and discuss what steps to take.

"We can always call the whole thing off, if you don't feel like going through with it." Said Akane hoping to solve all this mess that way.

"Um. I don't know, Would you call it off if you had the chance to run away?" Asked back the teen in a more defiant tone.

A few seconds later both teens laughed at the conversation they so intently started. They knew their egos always got in the way of things, forcing the two so called fiancees to admit each other feelings only if the opposite party admitted his or her love for the other first.

"Guess we're back at it." Said Ranma.

"Yeah. I guess hard habits die hard." mused lively the girl.

They both knew there were mutual feelings about each other thanks to years of defending and saving themselves from challenges coming their way. Despite that, up to that point they still had trouble accepting that what they had could in reality be true love, but decided to not pursue the idea just yet.

"By the way. What were you doing just now. It looked like you were rubbing your chest or something." Muttered again the girl, this time hoping the conversation soften her intrusion.

Ranma felt the need to scratch the back of his head, smiling dumbly as he did so and faking a lie in order to cover his mind. "It was nothing really. I tried ta calm down after the letter your father read to me this afternoon." Said the boy.

"What letter?"

"The one where my mom agreed with pops and your dad to force the end for Ucchan and Shampoo's marriage proposals." Added the boy somewhat depressed. "When I tried ta talk Mr. Tendo into leaving me alone he said that there was no coming back from this."

Ranma explained to the girl that her father was willing to write and expose not only his curse, but all the things he had done as a fake girl.

"He is willing to talk with mom and describe everything I've done which could cause her to reinforce the Seppuku deal. So I'm pretty much unable ta do a thing." Said Ranma.

Akane tried to support any decision the martial arts fighter would come up with but if her father went this far to try and fix their dilemma there wouldn't be much else she could do about it.

She promised to try and dissuade her dad from going to that extreme, adding that the truth wouldn't solve anything in the long run and instead it would hurt their goals to unite the schools.

She yawned a moment later, alerting Ranma morning was about to appear into the sky and that the two should get some sleep before dealing with whatever else could come their way.

"What about Ryoga?" Asked Ranma worried about the lost boy and the sexual imagery about his curse floating in his head. Surprisingly enough Akane pointed a finger towards him, bulging her eyes as she did so.

"Wait. You know about the stuff Ryoga-kun is going through?" It was a question the pigtailed teen didn't want to be asked, but thanks to his big mouth the boy managed to bring it back into the conversation without realizing it in time.

"Yeah. He kind of told me everything after what happened last night." Blurted Ranma once again before his bulging own eyes screamed at him to change the subject.

When Akane remained quietly waiting to hear what had happened the prior night, the pigtailed boy lied just in the nick of time, allowing himself from confessing the truth.

"We fought, you know? What do you think we would do if the idiot tells me all 'bout those memories. Duh!"

Seconds became like hours as a droplet of sweat slowly ran across Ranma's temple. He stared intently at her, keeping a goofy smile and begging for a blush from popping unannounced. She took a moment or two to look at him from head to toe, shrugging her shoulders when she agreed that was the more obvious outcome.

The girl found that to be more or less what they would do, after all, during the last part in the fishing rod incident Ranma did the same thing when Ryoga accidentally hugged and declared his love for him, which the girl knew it was meant for her thanks to the explanation Ryoga gave her last year.

"Unfortunately there's nothing we can do, Ranma. Dad forbade me from setting foot outside, or to try and contact Ukyo or Shampoo otherwise I'd be sent to Tokyo with Nabiki until the wedding day."

Both remained rather quiet after that. They knew Mr. Tendo meant business, and if Ranma were to try and escape or deal directly with the chef, and the Chinese warrior things would get a lot difficult for his father and him.

"Guess Ryoga is on his own. For now." Said the boy sternly.

After a while with nothing else to say Akane headed downstairs while Ranma stared one last time at the sunrise showing in the distance, his right hand suddenly rubbing his chest while his left hovering above his lips.

"_Wh__at the hell Ryoga__. __But__ more importantly. Why do I feel this way_." Mentally berated the boy before remembering what happened nearly a year and a half ago.

It was almost unbearable to think the horrible truth he endured during his 'confusing' days back then. The guilt and excitement he felt during those incidents remained in his head until someone helped him bury all that deep in his soul.

That night though, the boy just remembered being hot thanks to a humid day, feeling the need to splash himself and turn into his alter ego. He always did so to avoid the sticky sweat or during unbearable hot nights only this time things turned into something he had never experienced before.

Right before his eyes a dormant Ryoga began to complain as his forehead looked like it was on fire. The redhead then chose to get closer, grabbing his head with both hands and making sure the idiot would not die from a sudden illness.

That's when it happened. Out of nowhere Ryoga snapped at her touch, driving both of his hands behind her neck and pulling her face right into his. The kiss was the biggest surprise of it all, specially when he had that memory from Mikado Sanzenin who managed to kiss her when she least expected it.

The same late reaction happened this time, only now everything exponentially changed when her mind spun rapidly in place, leaving her in a frozen state. By then Ryoga's hands slowly slid from her neck and on top of her breasts, fondling them to a point where a burning desire rose with the confusion.

The feeling became so intense moans and whimpers made the pigtailed girl loudly weaken by the sheer intimate contact between the two.

It was something breaking mental barriers Ranma built over the years mostly to ward himself from others trying to touch her, or in the case like Kuno to help him control the situation from scaling even further.

This time every ounce of self respect and awareness vanished thanks to a connection she wasn't ready to fight against. When Ryoga woke from his trance and looked at the girl while still holding his firm hands on her torso Ranma felt like running in shame.

The only thing she could do at the moment was to walk away, immediately change back into a guy and find out what the hell happened to his best friend. There was no anger or desire to kill the guy, Instead confusion and a sort of lingering ecstasy filled within his entrails.

A moment later Ranma snapped from his train of thought. He remained rubbing his chest and lips while wondering why he felt strangely worried about the lost boy.

"D-Damn!, Snap out of it!" Bit the teen before shaking his head wildly and jumping back into the house. Memories flooded from within their locked cage, memories that he pressed back in with the hope of remaining sane again.

The next day went rather boring after Mr. Tendo had to attend several meetings, leaving the couple alone. Akane and Ranma remained in doors for the time being, agreeing between the two nothing would change until the end of the month when cramming school would take Akane away from their daily lives.

This morning, when the elder Tendo readied himself to leave Genma met him at the door with a question of his own.

"Tendo-kun. Don' you think we may be going ta far this time?" Asked the Saotome mentor worried for the last developments.

With a deep breath and a pat on his shoulder Soun told him something neither men were able to forget in ages.

"Saotome-kun. Remember what happened with us. Remember that your wife and mine knew about "that" but more importantly. Remember that Ranma could fall far easier into that trap than how we could have. This has to be done."

The statement made Genma stiff in fear. He did remembered what happened long ago, even before Ranma were born and that alone gave him the strength to follow through with the plan. A moment later both elders went their separate way, forgetting what had been spoken and focusing more on the present.

Same day, same time….

Tired from running all over the place without any success, Ryoga Hibiki arrived to the outskirts of town. For the fifth time.

The boy growled angrily at the sight of a sign saying "Welcome to Nerima."

"_What the hell happened_!. _I thought you knew the way_." Complained Ryoga who had been going in circles all day long, watching that damn sign for nearly fifty times now.

"_I don't know. It's as if the longer I'm in your head, the more __of __my sense of direction melds with yours_." Sadly explained the voice. Ryoga immediately cooled off after the fact that in a few days the girl, and her brother were going to vanish and die inside that broken mirror.

"_I'm sorry. I just get frustrated when something important needs me in a certain place and it takes me a very long time to get there_." Confessed the teen.

At the time of their failed journey the mental voice decided to tell Ryoga what had happened so far. During the last time they met Ranma and the others, both her and the pigtailed boy's "other" image stayed happily in the mirror.

Nothing seemed to bother the two of them until months later when a loud crash moved the curtain aside and the images saw the supervisor taken care of the hotel laying on the floor unconscious. They waited for hours hoping to see the man wake up, but after a while nothing happened.

Days later the two hid among the reflective surface's shadows when a group of men arrived to the place. Some, lifting the dead supervisor into a stretcher while others contemplating the building's demise.

"This place is to be demolished in a few months from now" Said one of the men who was dressed with a shiny yellow jacket, and a white hard hat.

"Yeah" Said the other man. "Who would care for a motel in the middle of the wilderness anyway."

After their visit nothing but the sound of wild animals remained on the other side of the mirror. No lights, or casting shadows when the place had been condemned and covered by all manner of tarps.

Then, in the middle of their despair the two images saw a shining explosion right where the supervisor had crashed during his fall. The reflective surface on that corner began to fade away, leaving behind a small crack that started to grow by the day.

The mirror image told Ryoga that they had been trying to push against the crack, forcing it's growth from reaching them. Her image brother remained between her and certain doom, unable to even speak when whatever life force he had kept the breaking glass from advancing.

When all hope seemed to disappear, Ryoga was able to concoct an amazing idea out of the blue. With a last ray of hope the boy asked his mental friend to help him one last time. After she told him what streets to take with the best of her ability Ryoga managed to reach the one who could help him save the images.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

'Tap, Tap, Tap.'

Sordid sounds of droplets falling and hitting against cardboard boxes filled an empty house that once upon a time became the very best Okonomiyaki place ever built. It was as if time stopped right in the middle of a beautiful day and clouds filled with sadness and melancholy engulfed its monochromatic surroundings.

In it, a young woman reminisced old memories dating far in her life, memories of happiness and fulfillment. Things seemed rather peaceful now for a girl who once saw her universe revolving between her father and her alone.

Back then nothing else mattered until, out of the blue, another adult would bring a boy she sooner rather than later identified as an acquaintance. In time that same bald man would bring his son on a daily basis from a rigorous training or two. From the very beginning she stared at him in a daring way, hoping to best him in a fair fight with the goal to be just like him.

Obviously the little boy managed to effortlessly defeat her every time which would angered her a lot. The difference though came when more often than not the innocent kid would just sit, and share the tasty prize with her like if they were family.

That's how feelings brew from friendship and loyalty to a desire deep in her hearth to have that same kid as a husband and protector at some point in her life. It would have been true enough if the boy and his father suddenly hadn't vanished one day, leaving behind an empty void and the sinking feeling of starting all over again when their livelihood disappeared with them.

A tiny chuckle escaped her lips in amusement, fact that helped her remain in her mind until the saggy box on top of the others dropped to the floor, creating the noisy racket that brought her old self back into reality.

The feeling of loss began to fill her entrails. Tears began to gather in her eyes once more and before the girl could force them back into her aching soul a whimper decided to escape her lungs.

That's when she realized everything she had worked for years, the hardships and the emptiness to see her 'Ran-chan' walking away with Akane Tendo led to the tragic outcome the girl faced all alone now.

Loud and long drawn out sighs were the only pause that woman used to fight back those tears, afraid to transform them into bittersweet cries of pain. Too late she managed to fend off the feeling when a photo pinned close to where she sat fell on her lap.

It was that picture someone took during Toma's island invasion back in the day. They all looked relaxed as if it was a normal day despite what they accomplished by beating their common enemy, giving them the chance to become friends afterwards and change them into a real family.

That's when unavoidably her sigh filled with repressed agony changed into tears. Nothing could ease the desperation and anguish Ukyo felt that precise second. Nothing at all.

* * *

Moments later. . .

Knock, knock.

Suddenly the chef stood up, cleaned the tears away and promptly ran downstairs, excited to see a repent Ranma arriving to their pretend home, explaining everything had been just a misunderstanding and that he had chosen her in the end.

When she reached for the door and opened it someone else made her cheerful demeanor falter, and her gloomy self come back in.

"Oh! It's you Ryoga. Come in sugar." Said the older teen tiredly.

When Ryoga walked into the restaurant his puffing breathing of exhaustion changed into a sternly look at the girl when he realized the horrible way in which Mr. Tendo practically kicked her out of their lives.

"Packing already?" Asked the boy with mumbling words. "I didn't think you would lose that easily after trying so hard over the years, Ukyo."

"Is not like I have any other choice Ryoga. Mr. Tendo was very convincing when he showed me, not only the bill for the cart my father gave Mr. Saotome as dowry but the actual expenses I caused the city from fights I caused on my own."

When she explained it that way the girl reached for a letter stuck near her cooking utensils. From there the piece of paper flew into Ryoga's hands who read every charge followed by the exact description Ukyo made against the people of Nerima for years now.

"I don't know how but he has recollection from when I fought in Akane's wedding, and even the match I had against crepe king." Added the teen. "At this point I am to leave Nerima and possibly seek a culinary college away from here where I can start fresh." Added the chef as a way to conceal her loss.

"I guess my life must continue somewhere else." Said lastly as a tear threatened to roll down her cheek.

The plan seemed a solid one but both knew following her career was but a lie concocted to bury too many memories that slowly tore her apart.

With some trouble the lost boy grabbed Ukyo's arm, using it to guide him deeper into the room lest his over exited mood could ruin things about his own strategy to overcome all this. The chef faltered for just a second, but decided to follow suit puzzled to see what was the fanged teen thinking.

"Don't go just yet, Ukyo." Begged the lost boy with trembling pupils.

Ryoga led the girl upstairs, leaving her near the moving boxes as his bent knees met the floor. "I need you to guide me to a place where you may yet get what you really want."

Ukyo's eyebrow raised at the strange proposition. She couldn't think of any scheme strong enough to help her remain as Ranma's candidate in matrimony, and fighting against Akane or join forces with Shampoo one last time were a failed idea at this point.

"What are you talking about Ryoga?" Asked the girl more puzzled than before.

"Well. It's more or less like this." Replied the teen before starting all the ordeal from the very beginning.

The chef filled her amazed face with 'Oh's' and gasps as the eternally lost boy detailed every part from his latest experience, omitting of course the very sexual contained memories and emotions Ranma's female form forced in his mind day after day.

The girl had a lot of questions of her own, but chose to remain quiet until the very end only to forget asking them once the magic phrase made the whole story real.

"So, you mean that those two doubles know of a way I can keep Ran-chan with me forever?" Asked the hopeful young woman. Ryoga slowly nodded at her inquiry, admitting that everything was possible according to his sources.

"But we need to move fast. We only have three or four days before all this blow into our faces." Reassured Ryoga.

"Well. What are we waiting for sugar. Let's go!" Screamed excited Ukyo.

"Not yet, Ukyo. We need to get Shampoo as well, and after that we can leave."

There was nothing to be said or discussed now that she had a possible solution to her happily ever after. Denial sometimes has a way to turn the craziest of plans into a success, but the young cook felt a pang in her hearth. Something rang true from all this. Perhaps.

The young woman promptly took a few ingredients into a backpack, grabbing her spatula and leading Ryoga out with a firm hand.

When she asked him why confide on the Chinese fighter the lost boy told her that it all made sense, as if he knew all pieces fitted their respectful places.

"According to my plan there is going to be a way for Ranma to fulfill his promise to you and Shampoo without affecting Akane's life." Explained careful the boy while hoping all those instigating thoughts about Ranko and him together could come into account.

A few minutes later both arrived as Cologne boarded a carriage filled with moving stuff.

"Cologne-sama. Is Shampoo still here?" Asked the chef in a hurry. The elder couldn't help but wonder why would she look for the girl who renamed herself as Ranma's love interest, but after the way Ukyo had been treated lately, the old woman believed a last try to get Ranma from the Tendos could be well underway.

"Go right ahead dear. I have her tied to a chair until the last of our things is sent back home." Curiously mustered the woman. She told both Ryoga and Ukyo that Mousse left days ago, defeated by his lost intent to marry the purple haired teen.

Shampoo chose to stay behind with the goal to assault and kidnap Ranma, but that proved too dangerous for them when Mr. Tendo already had an order of apprehension for the three invaders.

After Cologne left the restaurant behind, Ryoga and the chef walked in, finding the other girl mumbling incoherent nonsense behind the cloth tied around her mouth while desperately trying to loosen herself from the ropes.

"Shampoo. Stay quiet and listen to what we have to say." Warned Ukyo, winning a raised brow from the girl who impatiently was lifted by Ryoga and swung around his shoulder like an old bag of potatoes.

The muffled cries blared near the lost boy's ear, but at this point time was really against their objective. The fanged teen blurted directions and relevant names of streets, and places like if someone else told them to the boy. Ukyo used that information to take the other two into a path well into the wilderness.

To Ryoga's relief, the boy saw signs of nearby towns look a lot differently from the "welcome to Nerima" he began to hate. In time the three reached an open area where the lost boy untied Shampoo, placing her on a trunk and asking the girl to hear their plan.

Moments later.

"You two crazy!, Shampoo no want leave Airen back. Shampoo kill obstacle." Declared the furious fighter, ready to claim her prize even by force. Ryoga ran passing her, stopping before the girl could escape his surroundings.

"Please Shampoo. This is very important for the three of us, and I assure you that you will get what you want. Just spare us the time to get there and show you."

The Chinese waitress and delivery girl studied both Ukyo and Ryoga carefully. She knew these two had always come with bright plans to keep Akane away from Ranma so maybe listening at them could prove beneficial.

"Pig-boy I no listen. Spatula girl explain more." Said the teen dryly. After a while Ukyo told Shampoo to be patient and wait until Ryoga could meet those two images trapped in a mirror. The purple haired girl agreed to the plan, threatening that if the whole idea was a lie, she would go back and kidnap Ranma all on her own.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Hour after hour passed as a confused pigtailed teen walked aimlessly across the empty streets of Nerima. The only thing he could see now was a vacant place that used to have children frolicking around, and women throwing water recklessly right and left.

By now the boy began to be known as a slacker who caused nothing but trouble when most school students his generation had left long ago for a higher education, and those who walked to high school today were younger teens the martial arts fighter couldn't identify with.

Despite all that his confused mind would wander away from his present reality. He started to question certain feelings never felt before.

At first, nearly two years ago, things were much more simpler. He had finally controlled his curse to an extent where the trivial tease for free food, and the swaying of hips remained only on his female form.

A vast repertoire of wigs, well adorned dresses and shoes of all shapes and colors stayed stowed underneath the Dojo thanks to his ability to conceal those garments.

Everything seemed in place, Ranma believed, and in doing so the boy unknowingly to himself embarked in a new adventure not a soul knew about.

At the time Ryoga began to find his way to see Akari. The two had finally worked their differences to a certain degree. After all, having his sense of direction and her infatuated desire to keep him as a piglet she could carry like a baby were faults affecting heavily in their relationship.

The blue eyed teen remembered how angry would Ryoga tell him about the girl's only flaw. He wanted a normal life filled with dates, hugs and kisses but only as a human being while the girl wanted the perfect combination between a dashing boy and the cute looks of a black pig.

That same year they had finally agreed to have their first date. A simple dinner and a walk held firmly by his arm at all times seemed like the perfect setting for a new beginning. It was the most romantic scene a redheaded tourist contemplated from a far.

The setup was perfect for the couple to become more acquainted at each other. That was the moment when that same tourist dressed this time in a brown hairdo with glasses popped out of the bushes. The lie remained the same, a fiancee he had missed somewhere before who was ready to forgive and forget, and move on with their own wedding.

It all seemed so familiar for the fanged boy who unknowingly followed her lead away from the date who desperately looked for him in the distance. Once among the gardens both teens watched as Akari would walk away thinking Ryoga most likely had gotten lost and was half the planet away by then.

"He he. We finally made it my darling." Said the intruder with a devilish smile on her face.

Ryoga's mind raced by the very close memory he had about all this. The poor boy raked his confused mind trying to stay sane and hoping to find Akari before all this would leave him on another city, in another country.

"Why. Why are you doing this?" Chewed the lost boy with clenched teeth unaware of her identity, yet desperate to go back with his actual date.

Ranma opened her eyes in surprise, thinking that the gig was up and that Ryoga found his act all on his own.

"W-Whatever do you mean, my dar. . ." Quickly mused the girl expecting to save what he had worked for hours to achieve.

The sudden reaction by the beautiful girl, and her familiar face snapped the fanged boy back into the trance. With a stern look he bowed down his head, apologizing for his snappy reaction.

The blue eyed girl couldn't help but remain in character once the act was still in play, that is until a hand grabbed the well placed wig from her head, pulling it right before she could hold it tight.

"I thought I saw your face somewhere, Ranma-san." Said the green haired girl after she walked by the sidewalk and noticed a couple struggling in the grass.

"Wait. Akari?. R-Ranma? Here?" Stuttered the boy whose own eyes started to amazingly change from confusion, to a squint trying to compare the face and the blue eyes and the red hair, and finally transforming into a set of trembling eyes filled with rage and disgust.

"R-Ranma. You!" Bit the teen finally ready to take the whole park into pieces.

After the common reaction a dress flew into the air, the young male teen appeared when a vial with warm water hit that red hair and before a stunned couple a ready to fight Ranma stood in a defensive stance.

"It was 'bout time you recognized my pig brains. C'mon, time ta get back in shape!" Challenged the teen excitedly.

Both began to ready themselves for the clash when far from the park a scream made them both stiff in place.

"Ranma, what are you doing!?" Yelled Akane who until now appeared into scene out of nowhere.

"Akane-san! So nice to see you!" Genuinely said the other girl.

"I'm sorry Akari-chan. We were close by trying to get Ranma a scholarship for next year into cramming school, but I swear I left him not two hours ago and he manages to find Ryoga-kun for a fighting match. Really Ranma!" Scolded the girl angrily.

The pigtailed boy did his best to run where she was, leaving behind the dress and other feminine stuff spread back in the grass.

Ryoga couldn't do anything else when his girlfriend pulled him into a hug, adding only that they had just met Ranma who issued a challenge to fight with him. The pig tailed boy wanted to question her motives but he decided to remain quiet when Akari firmly stared back at him from a distance and not at his fiancée.

" I know Ranma-san wants to fight Ryoga, but you see." Her eyes changed in an instant, moving her demeanor from anger and into a more condescending look. "We are trying our first real date."

The comment alone made Akane blush rather embarrassed at her own boyfriend and his lack of tact. Before Ranma could do a thing a hand pinched his ear, pulling it so hard the boy had no way to pry himself free.

Seemed like an earful was the perfect punishment for his behavior after the way he messed with the lost boy, but what made Ranma squint his eyes puzzled was when the green haired girl mouthed silently the words 'I am watching you'.

The unforgettable memory swiftly washed away during a surprise bucket filled with cold water to his face, forcing the girl in him to appear.

"Gosh, I hope Kuno don' show up now." Said the girl while taking in her surroundings, but nothing happened next.

Ranma decided to head back home after meditating about the slow changes she began to discover up until now.

It was something subtle that began to seep in her mind. Back then her intentions were nothing but pure. A bit of fun, some hilarious times she enjoyed while using Ryoga in that way, but more importantly the looks the eternally lost boy gave her during the prank.

That happened to be the very last time she messed with the boy. Afterwards Akari managed to keep him in check. Sometimes by recognizing her disguises in no time while others when she scribbled a series of phrases Ryoga needed to read to himself every time a pretty girl teased him in public.

Ranma kept being found out time and again until last year when the fanged teen begged him for his own sanity to stop the madness.

"C'mon man. I'm trying to make this work with Akari, and honestly you're not making things any easier." Told Ryoga with puppy eyes and a blush across his face so endearing the pigtailed boy felt some type of heat rising inside of him.

That's when something clicked in the anything goes martial artist. He saw not only honesty in his words, but his eyes reflected a look he recognized somewhere but had kept hidden even from himself. Love.

Suddenly Ranma's own demeanor changed into an understanding one. He swore to never prank him again and that he would leave him be once and for all. Both boys shook hands for a moment but the contact made an even deeper effect they hadn't anticipated before.

Thinking carefully about every step during that last meeting gave Ranma an array of questions he believed explained what happened a few days ago.

He assured himself that his pranks were to mess with Ryoga, but there were no need for them. After all, he used them to keep the lost boy from Akane yet the more he pranked him the more he felt closer to the relationship they forged together over the years.

During the year after he promised to leave him alone an even bigger gap began to swell in his soul. A need to deal with impossible odds, to adventuring into the unknown with a friend and to feel cared for thanks to a fighter capable to meet his demands in battle started to tear his desires apart.

"_I wanted ta keep pushing up. I wanted ta talk ta him, to keep him with me on the house roof an' enjoy the idiot's way of thinking. Hell, even when he got lost it gave me a __reason__ to get away from all this an' be myself. I sure miss him_."

The thought made Ranma blush intensely at the possible dual meaning in it. She became what she is now thanks in a way to her eternal rival ready to challenge her on every turn. Maybe the now girl denied it all along but deep down she wished for her life to never change, but change had been forced on her weather she wished it or not.

The second Ranma walked into the Tendo home the blush started to quiet down lest someone else could catch the devious way her pounding hearth began to feel. When she entered the house a serious looking Soun asked her to join him in his office.

"C'mon Ranma-kun. We need to talk." Invited the elder.

The girl walked into the room, avoiding the fact that neither Kasumi nor Akane or her father were at home.

"Good because I got a lot of questions I need answers for." Remarked the redhead dryly.

Both sat on opposite sides from the tiny office. It was well decorated to handle serious matters and as such the teen remained silently listening for what the adult had to say.

"I'm really sorry for how things turned out Ranma-kun, but as you may have guessed age has caught up to you just as it has done so to my daughter." The man kept going. "Akane-chan has finally been accepted in a college suitable for her career, near Tokyo I might add."

The councilman explained that the steps towards the Dojo being open and the admittance of new students had been discussed between his father and mother as part of a new era in the Saotome dynasty.

"Everything is in place once you two marry and make all this official. I hope you understand why I had to do things so harshly." Finished Mr. Tendo from his speech.

"I understand all that." Rebutted Ranma. "But the deal I had with Shampoo an' Ucchan were a matter of honor as well. I wasn't supposed ta dismiss them like a pair of rag dolls and move on with my life. There was supposed ta be a way to solve all this mess where everyone would win."

"There was no such deal Ranma-kun. Ukyo unfortunately was a mistake your father made without thinking while Shampoo was yours, but the truth remains. Saotome-kun and I had a marriage deal waiting for you way before any of those two had a chance." Cut the elder man once the conversation began to heat up.

"I'm sorry but this is final whether you like it or not."

Ranma couldn't do a thing about the situation now no matter how he thought about it. The boy simply chose to keep his questions at bay, deciding to quietly accept his ruling for the time being and just leave the meeting off.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Time was running out for a trio who barely managed to leave Nerima in time. They had the goal to save two very familiar figures who had been trapped in a magic mirror and were about to perish into oblivion.

The problem this time was Ryoga who decided to stop in the last town and make a last plead for his life before reaching the hotel.

Ring. Ring.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"H-Hi Akari-san? It's me, Ryoga."

Despite knowing each other's voices by now the well mannered teen always treated family members and close friends with respect. This time the green haired girl remained silent though, waiting to hear what her boyfriend had to say.

"Listen. I know I left you in a hurry and I am so sorry about it, but there were circumstances beyond my control that made me feel, well, far too confused to confront you." Said the lost boy.

In the background the girl managed to hear Ukyo bickering with what she believed sounded like Shampoo thanks to her broken language.

"C'mon Ryoga, we need to leave now!" Said the chef rather hurriedly.

"I know! Give me just one minute please." Urged the boy at the other two.

"Anyway Akari-san, I intent to solve this problem as soon as possible and go back, and try to fix what I left with you. I promise."

To the girl it didn't matter what had happened before, what worried her the most was the one question she asked him right in that instant that would decide their future together.

"Ryoga-san. Remember what we talked about with doctor Tanaka?. Have any of that happened during your visit back in Nerima?"

The question became a loud and terrible weight he wasn't prepared to answer, at least not truthfully. She knew this as well the second silence and the stuttering of incoherent words afterwards were the only response the boy could muster.

"N-Not exactly." Was everything he could say on the matter.

"Then is all up to you now. When and for how long should I wait for your return?"

Ryoga saw a ray of hope when the girl he liked chose to give their relationship another try. Happy at the alternative the fanged teen promised her to be no later than a month and a half, given the circumstances from his illness.

The girl accepted, warning him at the same time that if he wasn't back by then the best course of action would be to forget her and move on.

"Don't worry I will be there with time to spare. After all Ukyo is going to take me there after I'm done with this mess." Said the boy before hanging up.

The chef just shrugged her shoulders agreeing with the plan as long things would work for everyone.

"OK. Time to meet these two." Said Ryoga at the same time he turned around and headed towards the same path they came from. A hollow knock against his head was all the warning the boy felt from the Chinese girl who had no patience for his antics.

"Pig-boy too dumb, that way." Pointed the girl angrily.

After the quick interlude all three teens dashed towards the right path, leaving them little problem over wild animals, tall bushes and the thick flora as they entered deep into the unknown. Finally the team found the route guiding them into an old and decrepit building filled with vines and cobwebs everywhere.

The first to go in was the lost boy, ready to take on any enemy or obstacle at hand. The three walked dusty corridors where a few signs from the last crew declared the place dangerous and unstable in some areas.

From within the long drapes stamped against old windows and a set of tarps signaling at the group where the accident over the supervisor's demise had happened, a long tapestry embroidered with gold and red velvety accents hid a frame untouched by human hands.

"H-Hello?" Reverberated a tone lazily across the room filled with only a desk and a chair in front of the tapestry.

Recognizing the familiar voice Ryoga stretched his arm, grabbing the edge from the old decorative curtain and pulling it with his weight to the side of the room. Ukyo and Shampoo saw in amazement a beautiful mirror big enough to fill the front desk and half the wide wall opposite from where they stood.

Ryoga remained tugging a smile when the perfect image of a redheaded teen stared back at him in relief.

"It was about time, Ryoga-kun." Alerted the image somewhat nervous.

"Just. Barely, I think" Said the other image who remained kneeling at the bottom from the other side of the mirror, holding it from breaking apart.

"Oh! Hi um, Ranma-three?" Added the fanged teen with a questionable look. It was clear that if all this was going work Ranma would have to need two different names given to another two very different copies of himself.

"Yeah. We can talk about names after we're out of here. OK?" Said the copy while puffing from the exhaustion of holding the mirror from crashing.

Both Shampoo and Ukyo couldn't believe their eyes. They saw the perfect image of the man they considered fiance, but somehow they acted strangely different from the original. There were no sass nor witty remarks like the other one would do.

"Um. Ran-chan is it really you?" Asked the chef first trying to cut to the chase.

"Yeah, it's me although a bit different in ways you are going to appreciate, Ucchan."

The voice sounded so familiar and yet, his eyes staring right at her alone made the girl blush just like that other time when he called her cute dressed like a girl.

"Just as much as you will too." Remarked the redheaded girl behind the boy only the words she used sounded more like mandarin. Shampoo immediately began to reason with that image, starting a full blown conversation in Chinese which prompted the puzzled looks from the others.

"I didn't know you knew mandarin. Heck, I didn't know Ranma knew at all!?" Said Ryoga amused.

"He doesn't." Answered the image holding the mirror in one piece. "Well in essence we do because he learned it long ago on the fly, but Ranma never took the precaution to study it, and keep it out of his subconscious mind. We did."

The two copies watched in awe as the girls outside started to line up an innumerable amount of questions stopped from being asked when the male image collapsed against the fake ground from the pressure, forcing the broken area to grow wilder into the center.

"We don't have any time to spare Ryoga-kun. We need you to help us out!" Begged the girl desperately.

Ryoga remained quietly waiting for what he needed to do. Once the girl told him to plant his open palm against the mirror everything else began to take form.

The web of breaking lines made by the accident started to vanish. The lines shrinking by the second as Ryoga used his other open palm against the reflective surface. That did the trick.

Before the baffled looks from everyone the crashing pieces began to appear and fall back in place. It was a miracle both images knew it would happen thanks to yet, another incident happening inside their realm.

"OK. What we need next to leave requires some of your life force Ryoga-kun. Think you'd be willing to help us?"

"I didn't come all the way here for nothing. Tell me what to do."

"Alright. I am going to leave the mirror as slow as I can, then my brother will do the same. There's going to be a crashing sound and afterwards you can pull your hands away from it." Instructed the mirror image.

As told, the fanged boy remained in position, holding firmly the mirror while the images slowly left the shiny surface. Astonished at the sight Ukyo and Shampoo watched as the redheaded girl popped out as a two dimensional figure and into a three dimensional one just like them.

A few moments later the boy passed from one side to the next in the same fashion. The loud crash sound announced Ryoga to pull drastically his hands away from the mirror. When he did so the whole surface vanished into a million of tiny pieces almost resembling like glitter thrown into the air.

What remained behind was a small reflective area staring back at the group.

Strangely enough the red haired girl ran towards the Chinese teen, embracing her just as the pigtailed boy did with Ukyo. It was a rare sensation, but feeling those arms around her trembling body gave the chef a sense of well being and comfort she had waited ages to enjoy.

"Is this for real?" Asked the girl, dropping her spatula to the ground from the cozy feeling of being held so close.

"It is, thanks to Ryoga's immense life force although we still need to work on a few details of our own." Assured the now very human boy.

He explained that, to make this new arrangement work they needed to be as separate as possible from the original pigtailed teen. When the girls frowned and asked how, the redheaded girl kept going with the explanation.

"We, my brother and I, are the exact copy from Ranma. Except, we can separate ourselves from each other thanks to a selective memory set and the abilities our 'big brother' has acquired over the years."

"In other words." Interrupted the male counterpart. "I can selectively erase certain memories while others I can reinforce into the true, real ones. Which happened to be just as good as any others."

The explanation left the three teens confused beyond measure. Ryoga tried to figure out what they were trying to specifically mean. The other two had more trouble when the now human beings remained so closely, goosebumps began to inadvertently sneak around their bodies.

"Case in point." Continued the boy. "I choose to keep all my memories about Akane Tendo as a girl my parents wanted me to marry. But I chose to keep in my heart the sweet moments I lived with a kid and her father who fed me out of the goodness of his heart."

"In fact, he gave us your livelihood as a wedding gift, and so I have chosen to marry the girl who cooks like no other." Said the boy lastly, resting his head over hers.

The redheaded girl said something along those lines in mandarin so Shampoo understood every part of it. The purple haired teen felt the need to hug back and prepare to kiss when the redhead magically changed into a boy, pulling the girl into his arms.

"I-I thought you needed cold water to change. Like me?" Asked Ryoga a bit lost by the sudden transformation.

"Sorry Ryoga, but Ranma is the cursed one. My sister and I can change pretty much at will now that we are entirely humans." The explanation made Ryoga nod and admit that was another plus for the couple's freedom.

It all seemed to work out great in the end. Ukyo received what she wanted all along, and so did Shampoo. Still, an emptiness remained deep in his heart when he somehow or for some strange reason expected more out of this deal.

Just as he tried to accept the good deed he made and move on, a certain memory triggered by his melancholy reminded him of someone he couldn't get out of his mind just yet.

"Oh Ryoga-kun. Don't think I forget about you." Said the boy close to Shampoo. "You might not know, but the ability to mentally contact you, to hold back the mirror from crashing and to escape were never of my own."

"In fact, I experimented all that with someone else before doing it to you."

The lost boy tried to understand the meaning of it all. Specially for the very intimate memories he had with a very female Ranma which never happened in the first place.

"You're right. You need to explain me how did you make me see all that stuff about being intimate with Ranma, and the heated romantic kisses and, um. The other stuff I saw over and over these past few weeks."

He needed to know how did she came with such intimate desires and dreams he could have never create on his own, and despite the looks of surprise from the others, hers included, the girl simply responded what she really did during their connection.

"I'm sorry Ryoga-kun, but all I did was paste in memories where the two of you became more than friends." Said the now boy. "Like when you saved him from the snow monster, or during the koi rod incident. But I never gave you any deeper, or intimate memories."

That alone made Ryoga blush intensely, specially after the way Ukyo and Shampoo stared at him. He could have apologized, but the pigtailed teen near the Chinese girl tried to relax him before the next step from this transition wouldn't be so harsh on him.

"I wish there could be more time, but you need to leave Ryoga-kun. We will meet again though. I promise."

With that being said a tremendous wind exploded from within the tiny mirror left on the wall, swallowing the fanged teen and gulping it inside before the last remains from the magic piece scattered like dust.

"No!. What happened?" Questioned Ukyo after watching Ryoga being taken away.

"It had to be done Ucchan. He is needed somewhere else, but he'll be back. No one from our universe can survive for long over there." Said the Ranma hugging the chef.

"But how?" Asked once more.

The boy walked around the desk, picking from the lost and found box a small piece of plastic. "This compact can connect us with him, but first he needs to help someone else."

With that explanation the two couples decided to separate. Shampoo chose to return to China and reclaim her status as the woman who married the man who had beaten her.

Ukyo decided to do the same, choosing to keep the secret from the Tendo's lest they could see that as an affront to their plans.


	10. Chapter 10

** Chapter 10**

A few days later Ranma and Akane had made their way into a path far separate than how they lived in Nerima. While the boy slowly growing into adulthood pondered about his feelings, the raven haired girl marched into her late teens with responsibilities fit for a serious and well prepared young woman.

Busy is the life of a medical assistant, or so thought Akane Tendo. The schedules alone had the girl chasing her watch while fitting every appointment designed for her new life in Tokyo to take form.

Everything seemed like a dream come true when she arrived to Nabiki's stylish new apartment. Of course the older girl had resources conveniently arranged for her needs thanks to embezzlement treaties and shady deals she won over clients of all social levels.

"You can stay as long as you like sis, but nothing to report back home. Understood?" were the only welcoming words she received from her wise sibling before her first meeting with the real world.

Akane knew how to get along and make friends, which helped her immensely for the amicable neighbor who would guide her about great places to eat, and stores where she could save a yen or two.

All in all, her life began to shape a new. She became accustomed to a rigorous life where every beginning of an hour was meant for a certain specific chore.

The first few weeks were hard to keep up with the daily life of a crowded city unlike the more relaxing pace back home. Before she could realize it though her new internship working near the closest hospital changed as well, giving the girl the pride most recognized as a nurse aide in charge of taking pulses, and blood pressures.

Despite all this, the memories from the past remained closely guarded in her mind. She swore to herself nothing would stop her from achieving the coveted title of doctor, which would take her years of more hard work to obtain.

Perhaps Dr. Tofu sets her on this path ever since she can remember. Regardless, she dreamed with that honor and for goodness sake, she was going to get it.

A week later the hospital finally let the interns go so they could assist other schools and be ready to enter their halls as medical assistants.

During that recess Akane Tendo took the train towards a familiar area, she had visited in the past. There, away from noisy cars and the loud chatting from busy people, on top of a hill the girl saw a ranch filled with all manner of pigs.

It was the Unryu estate filled with hogs of all sizes and colors. Some dressed as mighty sumo wrestling ones who participated on events every year, while others trained to become just as close as the big ones.

From within the group a tiny black piglet trying to fit in, but failing miserably made the youngest Tendo sniffle at a certain close friend she came to love as a brother.

That day when Ryoga asked her out for a private meeting of sorts the teen believed nothing of it, even when the boy took her in the park and before the amazed look from strangers, fell to his knees begging for forgiveness as he revealed the truth about P-Chan and his curse.

It all became surreal for her who, by some feeling, knew that hidden secret all along despite still denying it for the absurdity of it all. She immediately took the boy in a hurry away from prying eyes, leading him into a more secluded area where such matters could be resolved.

When they arrived at the Dojo Ryoga confessed ashamed of his sin. He swore his utmost respect during her private times and assured the girl sleeping besides, she was a feat on its own.

The girl forgave him after the way they became friends and confidants to a certain extent, more closely now since she would confess to P-Chan just as much as she did to the human part. It all worked out for the best, but a rule had to be executed.

"I forgive you, Ryoga-kun. But a crime needs a punishment." Retorted the girl, pulling the sleeve from the blouse underneath her dress and forming a terrifying fist with her right hand.

Ryoga managed to throw a chuckle at first, but just as she slapped both Ranma and him during her haircut incident, the lost boy came to realize Akane's strength does improve when she is really angry. It was not a picnic like the boy thought after the beating.

"Now, for the final sentence." Added lastly the girl before making Ryoga swear to abide over a special favor she was meaning to ask him anyway. This time he couldn't refuse.

What happened during that year, thanks to that favor greatly strengthened the youngest Tendo into the world of medicine. Ryoga unknowingly signed himself as a real guinea pig when Akane used him for all types of tests described in the medical books she so intently read back then.

The poor boy passed through painfully misplaced needless against his arms, failed attempts to draw blood and even moments when the girl had to do physicals, leaving him with only a tiny towel barely hanging from his waist.

Those were some of the most embarrassing moments he experienced in life, but surely taught him how Akane felt after hearing about a boy turned piglet taking showers together with her.

The memory was abruptly interrupted when a familiar face walked from within the house.

"Thinking about someone we both know?" Came the sweet voice from Akari as the green haired girl lifted the tiny piglet in need of the bottle of milk she had in her hands.

"I was thinking about his confession is all." Replied the teen with a smile.

"Oh yes. I remember seeing such bumps unlike any others Ranma could have done to him in the past. You do have a mean swing Akane-san." Said the girl before sharing some laughs and walking into the house.

The usual feminine decor filled with a set of teacups, tasty cookies and napkins well placed on the table was the staple earned by two young women walking into a more mature setting, grown ups who left their teen years behind and contemplated the hard life of early adulthood.

Akane was the one urging the matter at hand this time, asking for her host about their most pressing problems.

"Has Ryoga come to explain what happened?"

The pig trainer sensed the meaning behind her words, matter that helped her rush things a bit faster. "So, I assume you know what has happened so far."

"Yes. It all happened like this." Reported the guest alarmingly.

After a while Akane recited step by step the terrible nightmares Ryoga had from an external source. At first he blamed Ranma for the mental invasion, but when the memories and feelings became too intense for the lost boy to handle, something broke him to a point beyond his threshold of resistance. That's when he decided to travel to Nerima.

"Yes, Akane-San. We were on our last date of courtship, and during the first kiss to become fiances Ryoga-kun said 'Ranma, I love you' during the kiss." Explained Akari after Akane asked her if she knew what may had triggered the meltdown in her boyfriend.

The silence made even more uncomfortable the reunion. The raven haired teen tried to find a way to protect her best friend, admitting that the dreams and memories were the cause for the breakdown, and his behavior during that important moment emphasized the feelings of self pity he had for himself.

When she tried to explain that to Akari, the pig farmer suddenly changed the conversation in a different matter which startled Akane, forcing her to stay in the loop of things.

"That is not important anymore, Akane-san. I know Ryoga-kun, as I have chosen to call him now. I know he loves me, but the love he feels for Ranma is a dangerous one."

Akane tried to grasp that statement, but failed miserably when she never saw anything nearly resembling more than a healthy friendship between the two, and not one actively voiced all the time at that.

"I know these two have had their close encounters thanks to magic rods or curses, but believe me Akari-chan. Those two are far from feeling any more than friendship."

"That's what I believed long ago myself. That is until the times I saw Ranma-san acting strangely close to Ryoga-kun." Reported the girl, this time willing to unravel the past.

"What do you mean, Akari-chan?" Asked Akane puzzled.

From there, a very long list of anecdotes the youngest Tendo was unaware of started to be revealed for the first time. Things she found relatively childish, but given the right angle anyone could get the wrong idea about her fiance.

"There were times when Ranma-san acted so feminine and coy. He would use very short skirts and long open blouses I, as a woman would never dare to wear. I have seen 'her' sway in ways where she actually let Ryoga reach places, and all while donning a look of happiness. Almost as if he enjoyed it."

The reasoning sounded true for someone who tried to seduce a man, but Akane explained that despite all those 'tricks' Ranma would never think like a woman.

"He has been hardwired to live as a man. To act as a man among men, and more importantly to use the guile of a very feminine girl's looks to achieve an objective. I mean, for goodness sake. What objective would Ranma try to achieve if Ryoga-kun is not after. . .Me?"

The last words from her own explanation made Akane realize there was no point in messing with Ryoga if the cause of it all was the jealousy Ranma had when the lost boy wanted to court her.

Akari nodded understandably when the raven haired teen managed to find the answer all on her own.

"We tried to hide those incidents from you, but to be honest Ryoga-kun is the one who has been affected the most." Said Akari.

She found no other choice but to talk to Akane about the last few years and the visits she had with a psychiatrist when her boyfriend fell into a fit of depression far deeper than the ones he uses for his techniques.

"In time, after we started to date, Ryoga-kun showed a compassionate side for Ranma after he swore not to prank him ever again. Everything was 'Ranma can do this better' or 'Redheads look better in certain clothes'. It took me nearly three months to work with Dr. Tanaka over his fears and his weaknesses."

Akari told her that nothing would ever happen between Ranma and Ryoga because one is too prideful, and the other one respects him so much that he would never see him as more than a man, period."

It was safe to understand that Ranma was the prideful, but Akane never understood why didn't Ryoga actually ended up seeing Ranma like a girl. Even at the end of the Koi rod incident, the lost boy expressly told Akane, he referred to her when he said 'I love you' and not at Ranma.

It was on this moment that she learned the close knitted feeling Ryoga had for Ranma. It wasn't love from a man to a woman, but from a close friendship to admiration.

What came next became even a big surprise, she didn't count in the equation.

Akari continued. "The doctor kept telling us both that if for some unforeseen incident Ryoga-kun crosses the line with Ranma-San, his mind will be unable to distinguish between his feelings of friendship and something as powerful as true love."

"That is the reason why I asked him to never go back to Nerima, or at least stay as little as possible seeing Ranma." Akari used a pause to emphasize what she believed had already happened.

"Dr. Tanaka advised me to give up and move on the second my fiance were to reach that point. He said his mental wounds about love are too deep to deal with, and no matter how hard I could try, the one losing time it would be me."

"What's worse. Ryoga-kun called me a few days ago, and by the looks of it, I think something already happened." Said lastly the girl.

The last phrase alerted Akane that the inevitable had been set in motion. In a rush the girl thanked for the tea and the cookies, bowing respectfully before her host and running towards the city in hope to catch the next train going back home.

Fearing the inevitable, Akari grasped both hands close together, praying that Akane could get home safe and in time.

"Go, Akane-San. Save Ryoga-kun from certain doom." Begged the girl who couldn't do anything more for her fiance.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Strange, vibrant colors and shapes welcomed a confused teen into a tunnel connecting two very different worlds. At first, things would shape from the well-known locales Ryoga met across his travels into more realistic versions of themselves, that is until those same landscapes became part of his now, new form on that reality.

Unfortunately, the lost boy realized a bit too late the ground beneath his feet had vanished, leaving him only with the dreaded feeling of a drastic and dangerous freefalling effect.

"AAAAHHHH!"

Splash!

The loud sound of a heavy object falling from a long height disrupted a crime which seemed to be in development. As far as he could tell from within the body of water saving his skin there were three men with bad intentions pinning a young girl against a water fountain by the park.

It was somewhat reasonable, after all, the time seemed about three or four in the morning according to the big moon on the night sky, which predicted the easy access for unscrupulous people to wander off in darkness.

"S-Stop. Or I'll call the police." Defied the trembling girl as she held pepper spray directed at her attackers.

"I don' think anyone can hear you, Miss Ranma Saotome. Besides, is not like anyone should be this late in the middle of a park. Now, how about you shows us some of those cans you like to prance around so much". Enticed one of the men with lust in his eyes.

The second those three had devious looks over the damsel in distress and the girl started to run out of space, the aforementioned splash made them react towards an enormous young man falling out of the sky for no apparent reason.

When the boy splashed out of the body of water the only thing they were able to hear was a "Great! I'm me"! followed by a "Now, where on earth am I?"

One of the more menacing assailants produced a knife, shining its reflection at the boy with the goal to scare him. "You're about to enter in a world of pain if yer don't scatter off, boy."

Ryoga kept shaking the water off his drenched clothes as the sploshing sounds from his feet led him out of the fountain and besides the redhead.

Despite the gruesome strangers weaving a sharp blade at them, the distracted older teen scoffed directly back at the bunch, knowing full well they had no chance against either him or the anything goes martial arts fighter at his side.

"Hey, Ranma. Should I take care of these guys or do you want to take them on"? Asked the boy with a hand covering his mouth in a whispering manner, and crouching near the girl.

Completely taken by surprise, the redhead blanched at the mention of that cursed name, afraid that the new sociopath added to her situation would be in cahoots with the other three.

"M-Mister. I don't know what you are talking about, but there is no way I could take on anyone right now". Trembling replied the girl.

The scene slightly confused Ryoga at first, but a fight was something he was accustomed to, and taking the initiative before his rival was a rare commodity these days.

"OK. I guess I get to have all the fun, but try to get serious man. I hate when you talk all sweet and girly like that". Complained the boy.

The other three men didn't waste any time in launching an all out attack against the unarmed teen. The knife, metal knuckles and even a gun proved of no consequence when Ryoga moved amazingly fast for the men to react.

In a matter of seconds, the knife flew into the air bent in half while the knuckles stayed glued to a broken fist thanks mostly at the resilience from his body practically reflecting any punch the trio could make during the scuffle.

The gun was easily taken away just as easy because Ryoga had been in assaults like these ever since he was younger, and a gun meant nothing but a hindering tool in the hands of a fool.

Once disarmed, all three had little choice but flee, Jumping over the wall and heading towards what it seemed a big city filled with neon lights.

The lost boy shook the rest from the water still damping his clothes. He stared puzzled at the scenery which, strangely enough, made far little sense than ever before.

"You know Ranma. I have no idea where we are, but I think Nerima has never been this crowded." Said the boy as he walked closer to the still trembling redhead.

"Ranma? Are you OK"? Asked once again the teen, poking his index finger against the girl's head.

"Stop that!" Rebutted the young teen. "And once again. Please stop calling me that. My name is Megumi, Megumi Hayashibara."

The fanged teen couldn't help but stare right at her face, tilting his head sideways in confusion. "He actually believes that, or is he pretending like other times? but if so than where is the wig hiding his red hair"? Asked if only to himself.

"Cut it out man. I am not in the mood to play your games, and besides. You swore never to prank me again. Remember"? Demanded angrily this time.

The young girl was about to give him a piece of her mind after the false accusations but once the moon set its light over the teen, Megumi began to see the uncanny resemblance at someone she worked with on a daily basis.

"Mr. Yamadera. Is that you"? Asked the girl who had met with the young man a few hours ago. "N-No, it can't be. Mr. Koichi Yamadera should be long gone by now. In fact, I saw him leave earlier with all his crew and assistants. Who are you, really?"

The sudden change of names made Ryoga a bit nervous, specially after the stories Akane told him about the idiot and the incidents he had suffered over the years.

"Oh man. Don't tell me you fell from the sky, and hit yourself on the back of the head again. Akane is going to kill me if I bring her back an idiot with the identity of a real girl". Lamented the boy at the situation they were in.

"Then again, I don't remember you being with us before that whirlwind grabbed me away." Pondered the teen this time.

He tried to think back all that had happened since yesterday, assuming it was the next day because when they got to the hotel it was early morning, and all of a sudden they were in the middle of the night. Alone.

With some struggle the lost boy stayed focused on the matter at hand. There were moments when he looked at the girl and his heart began to flutter passionately, but he reminded himself that the real woman waiting for him was out there on that pig ranch he called home.

His maddening blabbering gave the redhead a chance to slowly slip through the wet teen. She managed to scurry long enough to pass him, using that time to run into a small trailer down the road.

As she left, the lost boy couldn't help but sigh at the girl's very feminine way of running. He knew from previous times that Ranma could become a very convincing female by all accounts. His techniques of seduction and the swaying of his body as a femme fatale were a fact no sane man would fail to resist.

Still, during her escape, the young man decided to calmly walk towards the tiny room somewhat parked among others just like it, waiting just outside for the girl to let him in.

"C'mon man. We don't have time for this. I need to know why was I sent here and return before the time I asked Akari-san runs out". Demanded the teen in a more serious tone now.

His eyes turned from the locked door and towards the smaller window besides it. He could see the young woman peeking from a corner, slowly opening the curtain as the girl decided to ask her own questions at him.

"Y-You think I'm the real Ranma Saotome, and you call yourself like the Ryoga Hibiki from the series. Am I correct?"

"Um. I am Ryoga Hibiki and you are Ranma. About a series, I don't know. What is that"? Asked the lost boy puzzled.

The redhead finally made the effort to unlock the door, allowing the boy to enter, offering a dry towel in exchange for his distance over her.

Ryoga accepted the gift, walking towards the other side of the trailer while rinsing his hair. "So, I guess you're not really him, right?" Asked the boy at her.

"Right. You do look very familiar to the pictures I saw from the Manga drawn back in nineteen ninety-four, but it can't be. Can it"? Asked the girl more interested in the impossibility. Ryoga began to silently whisper to himself, slowly counting with his fingers and beginning to reach a certain degree of understanding.

"Well. I'm from the year, two thousand, not the one you just said. By the way, what year is now"? Asked the boy.

"I can't believe I'm going to say this, but this year is two thousand and nineteen."

Both teens decided to use her date as a permanent time slot until they could figure things out.

"Even if I were to believe you. How is it possible that an imagined cartoon be alive in my trailer of all places?"

"I don't know myself, but one of Ranma's image tricked me into being swallowed and thrown into this world for some reason." Said Ryoga at the girl.

That made more sense to Megumi who mentioned that, before she was going to be attacked, the girl begged for help to the only familiar face she had at the time. Her reflection against the water fountain.

"I don't know how but lately I've been able to speak with the girl behind the mirror. At first I thought I was going crazy, but I could've sworn that image heard my pleads and actually advised me how to act depending the situation. Unfortunately, I couldn't."

Ryoga found very interesting the reasoning behind a far weaker redhead than her other, more fighting capable counterpart. He wondered that the real objective to get himself thrown into that vortex was to help this weird's alternate universe girl out, and now everything began to make more sense.

"I see. So I'm here to help you fix something and than I can go back home. Great"! The boy sat on the floor, paying attention as the girl stared at him disconcerted.

"Where should I begin?" Mused the teen pensive.

"You see. I am an actress who plays the role of Ranma Saotome in his female form on TV. The thing is, the anime has me showing my upper body more times than I can count and thanks to the new live action series I'm participating in, ratings force me to take those same scenes very seriously."

Most of the information passed right by the lost boy as a strange language he had never heard in his life. Ryoga raised a finger into the air and very respectfully asked what things like 'anime' or 'ratings' meant at all.

"I see. I guess the best way is for me to show you. Tomorrow". Replied the girl who pulled a bedroll from underneath her own bed, and gave it to the teen to sleep in.

Somewhat, in the brief time they got to know each other Megumi found his presence calming and comfortable enough to let him stay close to her. The girl trustingly laid on her bed, resting the few hours left of the night without a problem in the world.

Ryoga felt the same thing when the pretty redhead a few steps away from him wasn't the girl he had been dreaming about. The same respect he had for Akane kicked in and the boy simply turned away, falling asleep without worrying about his male presence in the tight room. Not even as his clothes started to dry off on their own.

Once morning sneaked its rays of light through the window, the lost boy quickly rose up into a sitting position. He tried to recognize his surroundings, taking a close look at the rather messy space between the two until his eyes stopped at a redheaded girl holding a white shirt on her hands while her ample naked bust remained the center of attention.

The moment became a bit funny to the boy who was used to this kind of scenes back home. The usual dumb smile as a trickle of blood dripped from his nose was a regular occurrence Ranma enjoyed every time he would show topless before Ryoga.

This time though, the girl managed to release an 'eep!' After meeting eye to eye with the teen. Ryoga immediately remembered who she was, forcing him to look away while apologizing profoundly for his lack of respect.

"I-I swear I didn't mean to stare at you, Megumi-san. I was just trying to guess where I was sleeping this time". Nervously reported the boy.

Megumi recalled scenes like these from the Manga mostly which helped her relax a bit from the intrusion.

"It's fine, but don't ever do it again. Got it?"

The boy nodded at her, then waited until the girl walked out the door. "Wait here. I'm going to get some clothes used for the character of Ryoga Hibiki, and I'll bring them back here."

The young teen walked out the door a moment later. He kept walking round and around thinking on Akari, the promise he made to return to her in time and ultimately, pondering whether he wanted to actually return or not after taking the beautiful smile Megumi had which reminded him of a certain redhead haunting his mind.

Once the actress came back with some familiar black shirts and pants, the boy stopped right on his tracks, jumping excited at the new development his life began to turn into without him realizing it until now.

"Wait a minute. Last night I fell into a fountain filled with cold water, and now I get to go around and still stay on the same place? That must mean only one thing."

"Great! I'm cured from the pig and I get lost no more"! Screamed the teen static. A moment later the teen stopped once again, worried that things had become more complicated than before after the possibilities this reality offered him.

"Oh boy." Argued Ryoga after the slew of options he had now to choose from.


End file.
